May 17, 2012 Scientists at The University of Nottingham have
opened the way for more accurate research into new ways to fight
dangerous bacterial infections by proving a long-held theory
about how bacteria communicate with each other. Researchers in
the University's School of Molecular Medical Sciences have shown
for the first time that the effectiveness of the bacteria's
communication method, a process called 'quorum sensing',
directly depends on the density of the bacterial population.
This work will help inform wider research into how to stop
bacteria talking to each other with the aim of switching off
their toxin production. As some pathogenic organisms are
increasingly resistant to traditional antibiotics, medical
researchers around the world, including scientists at The
University of Nottingham, are trying to find other ways of
fighting infection. This new work involves using 'quorum
quenching' compounds which interfere with bacterial signalling
and disrupt their social lives. Quorum sensing (QS) is the