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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.
Microplastics (MPs) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) represent novel ecological niches rather than passive contaminants. They rapidly acquire distinct microbial biofilms, forming the “Plastisphere”. This Perspective examines the underexplored role of quorum sensing (QS) within these complex synthetic microenvironments. We highlight how the intrinsic properties of MPs, such as surface hydrophobicity, chemical leachates, and aging states, create altered signaling landscapes. These distinct environments may decouple QS responses from classical population-density thresholds. Consequently, these dynamic interactions potentially enhance cooperative microbial metabolism and may indirectly facilitate the horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance genes by fostering dense cellular proximity. Despite substantial methodological challenges in detecting active signaling in situ, MPs must be reconceptualized as quorum-modulating microscopes capable of reprogramming microbial communication. Advancing this field requires integrating high-resolution spatial imaging and functional genomics under operationally relevant conditions to bridge theoretical insights with empirical validation, ultimately informing future treatment designs and environmental risk assessments. Microplastics intensify quorum-sensing-mediated gene exchange in wastewater treatment plants, enabling their reconceptualization as quorum-modulating microscopes that reprogram microbial communication and function, based on their interplay with biofilms and quorum sensing within wastewater systems
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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.
Adaptive resistance and defense evolution in microplastics-mediated biological exposure interfaces in municipal wastewater treatment systems
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Researchers studied how microplastic surfaces in municipal wastewater treatment systems promote the development of antimicrobial resistance. The study found that PET, polyethylene, and polypropylene microplastics trigger quorum sensing-driven resistance evolution in microbial biofilms, enhancing the expression of genes related to extracellular polymeric substances and potentially contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance.
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.
AHL-mediated quorum sensing drives plastisphere formation and elevates pathogenic potential
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Acyl-homoserine lactone quorum sensing actively drives plastisphere biofilm formation on microplastics by upregulating adhesion, motility, and matrix production genes, while also enriching pathogen-associated and virulence-related functions within the community. These findings establish AHL-mediated quorum sensing as a key mechanism by which microplastic surfaces become concentrated reservoirs of potentially pathogenic microorganisms.
Unignorable environmental risks: Insight into differential responses between biofilm and plastisphere in sulfur autotrophic denitrification system upon exposure to quaternary ammonium compounds
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This study found that microplastics in wastewater treatment plants collect more antibiotic resistance genes and disease-causing bacteria on their surfaces than regular biofilms, especially when exposed to common disinfectant chemicals. The plastic surfaces act as hotspots where dangerous bacteria gather and share resistance genes more easily. This raises concerns that microplastics leaving treatment plants could spread antibiotic-resistant infections into the environment.
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