A quorum is a minimum number required to meet a threshold. If a quorum is not reached, bacteria will not divide as quickly or defend itself as quorum signaling justifies proper supplies and support are present in the immediate environment for a higher chance of survival.
If you can interrupt these signals, you are confusing bacteria to hold off on growth, as they perceive their environment as hostile due to a lack of necessary quorum signals from surrounding ‘allies’ (other bacteria).
Bacterial Studies
Some of the best-known examples of quorum sensing (signaling) come from studies of bacteria. Bacteria use quorum sensing to coordinate certain behaviors such as biofilm formation, virulence, reproduction, and antibiotic resistance, based on the local density of the bacterial population.
- Quorum sensing can occur within a single bacterial species as well as between diverse species and can regulate a host of different processes, in essence, serving as
- a simple indicator of population density or
- the diffusion rate of the cell’s immediate environment
- A variety of different molecules can be used as signals. Typical classes of signaling molecules:
- Oligopeptides in Gram-positive bacteria
- N-Acyl Homoserine Lactones (AHL) in Gram-negative bacteria
- Autoinducers (signaling molecules) known as autoinducer-2 (AI-2) in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria
Mechanism of Action
Bacteria that use quorum sensing produce and secrete specific signaling molecules called autoinducers or pheromones.
- These bacteria also have a receptor that can accurately detect the signaling molecule (inducer).
- When the inducer binds the receptor, it activates transcription of certain genes, including those for inducer synthesis.
There is a low likelihood of a bacterium detecting its own secreted inducer. Thus, for gene transcription to be activated, the cell must encounter signaling molecules secreted by other cells in its environment.
When only a few other bacteria of the same kind are in the vicinity, diffusion (the process of particles spreading from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration) reduces the concentration of the inducer in the surrounding medium to almost zero, so the bacteria produce little inducer.
However, as the population grows, the concentration of the inducer passes a threshold, causing more inducer to be synthesized.
- This forms a positive feedbackloop, and the receptor becomes fully activated.
- Activation of the receptor induces the up-regulationof other specific genes, causing all of the cells to begin transcription at approximately the same time.
To sum up, all of this science, if we can confuse bacteria into thinking they shouldn’t multiply, then the body’s natural systems can take over to fight the P.acnes bacteria, clearing the bacteria and calming the inflammation to address the clients concerns with breakout prone skin naturally.