A Quorum-Sensing Gene System Requires the Accumulation of a Secreted

Question

A quorum-sensing gene system requires the accumulation of a secreted small molecule called a(n)
A) autoinducer.
B) activator.
C) repressor.
D) inducer.
E) corepressor.

Accepted Answer

A quorum-sensing gene system requires the accumulation of an autoinducer, which is a small molecule that is secreted by cells and detected by other cells to coordinate gene expression among a population of bacteria. The accumulation of the autoinducer signals that a certain threshold cell density has been reached, triggering a coordinated response such as biofilm formation or virulence gene expression.