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Quorum Quenching for Sustainable Environment: Biology, Mechanisms, and Applications

Abstract:

Quorum sensing signaling is a hierarchal system in bacteria to communicate with each other and coordinate their activities. Prevention of the QS pathway by disrupting signals is called quorum quenching (QQ), which is essential not just in medicine and healthcare settings but also in membrane bioreactors, aquaculture, and agriculture. QQ could be achieved either by interfering with the QS signaling pathway (e.g., signal generator or receptor) or intercepting the QS molecules. Research on QQ led to the development of strategies that mitigate biofilm-based problems in medicine, agronomy, and water engineering. The QQ-strategy is being given importance in recent times as there is an immediate need to search for an alternative or a complementary approach to phytochemicals and antibiotics. This chapter starts with the historical aspects of QQ; furthermore, it highlights the global research in the area of QQ and the mechanism of quenching pathways. Afterward, applications of QQ-strategies in medicine, agriculture, aquaculture, and water engineering are discussed. Finally, challenges and prospects of QQ technology are delineated.