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Exogenous quorum sensing signal enhances central energy metabolism to fuel biofilm formation and denitrification on microplastics
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Scientists found that a chemical "communication signal" used by bacteria can boost how well certain microbes cluster together and grow on microplastic surfaces floating in water, making them nearly three times better at removing nitrate pollution. This matters because microplastics are everywhere in our waterways, and the bacterial communities that build up on them (called the "plastisphere") can influence water quality — understanding what makes these microbial colonies thrive helps scientists predict how microplastic pollution affects ecosystems we depend on for clean water.
Microplastics (MPs) are known to host dense microbial biofilms and form the plastisphere, which serve as significant sites for various biogeochemical processes, including nitrogen transformation. The communication within these complex microbial communities is facilitated by quorum sensing (QS) signals. However, how this inter-bacteria signal crosstalk impacts the colonization and function of key microbes, such as denitrifiers, remains inadequately elucidated. This research delves into the impact of the external signaling molecule N-3-oxododecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C12-oxo-HSL) on biofilm development and denitrification processes by the model bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans (P. denitrificans) on microplastic surfaces. Treatment with 10 μM C12-oxo-HSL increased biofilm biomass 2.67-fold and nitrate removal rates 2.61-fold relative to controls, while planktonic biomass remained comparable to or lower than untreated samples, refuting the hypothesis that increased biofilm mass merely reflects accelerated planktonic growth. Transcriptomic analysis unveiled a sophisticated regulatory network. C12-oxo-HSL not only stimulated the expression of genes involved in initial adhesion and motility but also orchestrated a substantial upregulation of key energy metabolism pathways, including glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. Metabolic upregulation likely increased ATP availability for the augmented production of extracellular polymeric substances, ultimately leading to the formation of a more resilient and efficient biofilm structure. Our findings suggest a potential energy-centric mechanism where exogenous AHLs prime the cellular bioenergetic status to support the structural and functional demands of plastisphere colonization. This highlights the pivotal role of signal-mediated resource allocation in shaping the biogeochemical impact of microplastic pollution.
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Quorum sensing bacteria in microplastics epiphytic biofilms and their biological characteristics which potentially impact marine ecosystem
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Researchers collected microplastics from the ocean and characterised the quorum-sensing bacteria living in their biofilms — microbes that communicate chemically to coordinate group behaviours like biofilm formation and antibiotic production. Eight different quorum-sensing bacterial strains were isolated from polypropylene and PVC microplastics, and their signalling molecules (AHLs) were profiled. The findings show that microplastics act as rafts dispersing complex microbial communities, including potentially harmful antibiotic-producing and biofilm-forming bacteria, across the global ocean.
Molecular mechanism of anammox granular sludge disintegration caused by polyethylene terephthalate micro/nanoplastics: a new perspective based on quorum sensing
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Tiny plastic particles from PET plastic (the kind used in water bottles) can break down the beneficial bacteria communities that wastewater treatment plants rely on to remove harmful nitrogen compounds, by disrupting the chemical signals bacteria use to "talk" to each other and stick together. This matters because as microplastic pollution increases, it could weaken our ability to properly treat wastewater, potentially allowing more nitrogen pollution and untreated contaminants to reach our water supplies and environment.
Quorum sensing on microplastics shapes biofilm function in wastewater systems
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This perspective examines the role of quorum sensing in microbial biofilms that form on microplastics in wastewater treatment plants, arguing that the surface properties of MPs—including hydrophobicity, chemical leachates, and aging state—create novel signaling environments that may decouple quorum sensing from normal population-density controls. These altered signaling landscapes could enhance horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance genes, warranting reconceptualization of microplastics as 'quorum-modulating' surfaces.
Quorum sensing involved in regulating biological phosphorus removal under two different addition modes of polystyrene microplastics
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Tiny plastic particles called microplastics can disrupt the helpful bacteria used in wastewater treatment plants to remove phosphorus, a pollutant that causes harmful algae blooms in lakes and rivers. This study found that even low but steady exposure to microplastics was more damaging long-term than a single large dose, cutting phosphorus removal efficiency nearly in half by disrupting bacterial communication and metabolism. As microplastic pollution grows, this matters because it could make it harder for treatment plants to keep our water clean and safe.
Impaired denitrification of aerobic granules in response to micro/nanoplastic stress: Insights from interspecies interactions and electron transfer processes
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This study found that micro- and nanoplastics in wastewater disrupt the ability of beneficial bacteria to remove nitrogen through a process called denitrification. After 90 days of plastic exposure, the communication system bacteria use to coordinate their activity broke down, leading to an imbalance where some bacteria stopped contributing while still consuming shared resources. This reduced the overall efficiency of biological wastewater treatment, a system many communities rely on to clean their water.
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