Regulating the quorum sensing signalling circuit to control bacterial virulence: in silico analysis

Pathogenic bacteria employ a communication mechanism, known as quorum sensing (QS), to obtain information about their cell density and to synchronise their behaviour. Most bacteria species use QS signalling circuits to optimise the secretion of virulence factors that damage their host. Recently, QS has been recognised as a target for antimicrobial drugs that can control bacterial infections. Here the QS process is modelled as a state transition graph with transitions depending on the diffusion and local concentration of the QS molecules (autoinducers). Based on this model a simulation tool has been developed to simulate the QS process in both open and confined spaces. Using this simulation tool a number of numerical experiments has been carried out with various strategies of QS circuit regulation. The results of these experiments showed that regulation of the QS signalling circuit can lead to significantly reduced bacterial virulence.