Abstract
SummaryQuorum sensing was once considered a way in which a species was able to sense its cell density and regulate gene expression accordingly. However, it is now becoming apparent that multiple microbes can sense particular quorum‐sensing molecules, enabling them to sense and respond to other microbes in their neighbourhood. Such interactions are significant within the context of polymicrobial disease, in which the competition or cooperation of microbes can alter disease progression. Fungi comprise a small but important component of the human microbiome and are in constant contact with bacteria and viruses. The discovery of quorum‐sensing pathways in fungi has led to the characterization of a number of interkingdom quorum‐sensing interactions. Here, we review the recent developments in quorum sensing in medically important fungi, and the implications these interactions have on the host's innate immune response.
Highlights
Fungi and bacteria often occupy the same niche, whether in the environment, or in plant or animal hosts
As we delve deeper into the interactions that occur between clinically relevant microorganisms, it becomes clear that these are complex interactions; the effects of which may be dependent on the environment and combination of species present within the niche
Research has generally been limited to studying the interactions between dual species (i.e. C. albicans and P. aeruginosa)
Summary
Quorum sensing was once considered a way in which a species was able to sense its cell density and regulate gene expression . It is becoming apparent that multiple microbes can sense particular quorum-sensing molecules, enabling them to sense and respond to other microbes in their neighbourhood. Such interactions are significant within the context of polymicrobial disease, in which the competition or cooperation of microbes can alter disease progression. The discovery of quorumsensing pathways in fungi has led to the characterization of a number of interkingdom quorum-sensing interactions. We review the recent developments in quorum sensing in medically important fungi, and the implications these interactions have on the host’s innate immune response
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