Research advance in the function of quorum sensing in the biological aggregates.

Quorum sensing is a microbial phenomenon that microorganisms use signal molecules to perceive environmental conditions and regulate specific gene expressions. As the communication function of quorum sensing is increasingly highlighted in the microbial field, researches on quorum sensing in the formation process of biological aggregates (biofilm and granules) attract wide attentions. The paper reviewed autoinducers (AI) classification and the corresponding regulation methods in quorum sensing, and provided an up-to-date account on research progress of AIs regulating biological aggregates formation and structural stability. New territories and future of quorum sensing were also outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]