Role of interspecies bacterial communication in the virulence of pathogenic bacteria

Bacteria live in a polymicrobial community where it interacts with biotic and abiotic factors using specific signalling molecules. Acyl homoserine lactones, autoinducing peptides, bacteriocins and polyamines are a few signals documented for interspecies signalling. The signalling system could be used for a coordinated behaviour categorised as Quorum sensing (QS). QS is a term used to define a cell – cell communication process amongst bacteria that helps to gather cell density information and regulate gene expression accordingly. QS had been demonstrated to play a pivotal role in bacterial pathogenesis by regulating the expression of different virulence factors affecting adhesion, invasion and survival within a tissue. In the current review, we discuss the role of interspecies bacterial communication in pathogenicity. The molecules involved in the interspecies bacterial communication affecting virulence factors required for the establishment of infection have been discussed in detail to gain an insight for development of strategies that can be proposed to combat bacterial infections by attenuating their communication systems. The knowledge on the role of interspecies bacterial communication on virulence will assist in understanding the factors affecting symptomatic and asymptomatic infections.