DSF-family quorum sensing signal-mediated intraspecies, interspecies, and inter-kingdom communication
Ya‐Wen He, Yinyue Deng, Yansong Miao, Subhadeep Chatterjee, Tuan Minh Tran, Jing Tian, Steven E. Lindow
Abstract
While most bacteria are unicellular microbes they communicate with each other and with their environments to adapt their behaviors. Quorum sensing (QS) is one of the best-studied cell-cell communication modes. QS signaling is not restricted to bacterial cell-to-cell communication - it also allows communication between bacteria and their eukaryotic hosts. The diffusible signal factor (DSF) family represents an intriguing type of QS signal with multiple roles found in diverse Gram-negative bacteria. Over the last decade, extensive progress has been made in understanding DSF-mediated communication among bacteria, fungi, insects, plants, and zebrafish. This review provides an update on these new developments with the aim of building a more comprehensive picture of DSF-mediated intraspecies, interspecies, and inter-kingdom communication.