Communication in bacteria: an ecological and evolutionary perspective

Key PointsUnderstanding why and how bacteria react to the chemical substances that are produced by other bacteria requires an understanding of the nature of the chemical interaction, and the determination of the effect on the fitness of the emitter and receiver.The nature of chemical interactions between bacteria is not necessarily in the form of cooperative signals, but also includes other chemical interactions, such as cues and chemical manipulation.The specificity and reliability of communication depends on the cost of signal production. This cost can be approximated by the biosynthetic cost of signalling, and there is a correlation between the cost of signal production and the specificity of the signalling molecules for the three most common signalling pathways.High relatedness, as occurs, for example, when all cells develop from a single founding cell, is a key factor that promotes cooperation and true communication. Inversely, true communication and cooperation are unlikely to be common between species.A review of the data shows that the evolutionary framework, developed above, allows us to gain a better understanding of quorum sensing and the nature of communication between bacteria, as well as between bacteria and their host.