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Quorum Sensing in Bacteria

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Quorum sensing is bacterial signaling in which cells secrete autoinducer molecules; rising population density raises autoinducer concentration until it triggers a coordinated gene-expression change.

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A bioluminescent bacterium inside a squid switches on its light-producing genes once the local population is dense enough.

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Quorum sensing depends on cell density — a single bacterium's autoinducer alone is too dilute to trigger a response.