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Phenotypic Heterogeneity in Bacterial Quorum Sensing Systems.

Vera Bettenworth¹, Benedikt Steinfeld², Hilke Duin³

¹Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany; Faculty of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany.

Journal of Molecular Biology

|May 4, 2019

Summary

Bacterial quorum sensing (QS) systems exhibit phenotypic heterogeneity, challenging the view of uniform population behavior. This study explores origins and functions of this heterogeneity, including bet hedging and division of labor.

Keywords:

Bacillus Sinorhizobium autoinducer bet hedging division of labor

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Area of Science:

Microbiology
Systems Biology
Bacterial Communication

Background:

Quorum sensing (QS) is traditionally viewed as a collective bacterial behavior involving all population members.
Recent findings reveal phenotypic heterogeneity in QS-related gene expression within isogenic populations, contradicting the uniform participation model.
This heterogeneity involves unequal autoinducer production and target gene activation, sometimes influenced by environmental factors.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the origins of phenotypic heterogeneity in bacterial quorum sensing systems.
To understand how initial cell-to-cell variations are amplified to create distinct phenotypic states.
To discuss the potential adaptive functions of QS heterogeneity, such as bet hedging, division of labor, cheat protection, and output modulation.

Main Methods:

Review and synthesis of existing literature on quorum sensing and phenotypic heterogeneity.
Analysis of model organisms (Sinorhizobium meliloti, Sinorhizobium fredii, Bacillus subtilis) with varying QS system complexity.
Theoretical exploration of mechanisms for variation amplification and functional implications.

Main Results:

Phenotypic heterogeneity is observed in QS systems across different bacterial species, including Sinorhizobium and Bacillus.
Initial cell-to-cell variations can be amplified to generate distinct subpopulations with differing QS activities.
Environmental factors can modulate the fraction of contributing cells within a population.

Conclusions:

Bacterial quorum sensing is not always a uniform population behavior; phenotypic heterogeneity is a significant feature.
This heterogeneity may serve crucial adaptive roles, enhancing bacterial survival and population-level efficiency.
Understanding QS heterogeneity provides new insights into bacterial social behavior and evolution.