Modeling the Role of Feedback in the Adaptive Response of Bacterial Quorum Sensing
Ms. Gaoyang Bridget Fan
Department of Mathematics
University of Utah
ABSTRACT
Bacterial quorum sensing (QS) is a form of intercellular communication that relies on the production and detection of diffusive signaling molecules called autoinducers. Such a mechanism allows the bacteria to track their cell density in order to regulate group behavior, such as biofilm formation and bioluminescence. In a number of bacterial QS systems, including V. harveyi, multiple signaling pathways are integrated into a single phosphorylation-dephosphorylation cycle. In this talk, we will explore how QS uses feedback loops to 'decode' the integrated signals by actively changing the sensitivity in different pathways.
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