Quorum sensing (QS), a chemical communication process between bacteria, depends on the synthesis, secretion and detection of signal molecules. It can synchronize the gene expression of bacteria to promote cooperation within the population and improve competitiveness among populations. The preliminary exploration of bacterial QS has been completed under ideal and highly controllable conditions. There is an urgent need to investigate the QS of bacteria under natural conditions, especially the QS of intestinal flora, which is closely related to health. Excitingly, growing evidence has shown that QS also exists in the intestinal flora. The crosstalk of QS between gut microbiota and the host is systematically clarified in this review.
Keywords: bacteria communication; gut bacterial metabolism; gut microbiota; host–bacterial interaction; intestinal immunity; pathogen colonization; quorum sensing.
Plain language summary A large number of bacteria live in the human intestinal tract and they are closely related to intestinal health. Bacteria also rely on a number of chemicals to communicate in the intestine. These chemicals play an essential role in the intestinal mucosal barrier as well as the inflammatory response. Studies have found that this method of communication affects the metabolic function of the bacteria in the gut. The cells in our intestine can also detect this communication between bacteria and communicate with the intestinal flora by producing similar substances.