Quorum sensing as a novel method for controlling aquatic disease

Outbreaks of bacterial disease and biofilm formation on the equipment surface and aquaculture products are the main limiting factor in aquaculture. Many bacterial species produce and secrete small signal molecules which can be detected by similar or different bacteria. When bacterial population increases, the density of these signals increases in the extracellular environment and enables bacteria to monitor the quantitative amounts of others. Using this system, which called quorum sensing, the bacteria can change gene expression and coordinate biochemical responses in all the population. Quorum sensing involves in biofilm formation and production of protease, aggressive factors and other pathogenic factors. With molecular biology advances and development of detection techniques, and the role of quorum sensing in bacterial pathogenicity, quorum sensing became an interest goal in biocontrolling the pathogenic factors. Since quorum sensing is dependent to the presence of signal molecules and their interaction with cognate receptors, each molecule or enzyme which blokes the signal synthesis or them accumulation, or inhibit their binding to the receptor, can interfere with the quorum sensing. One of the smartest approaches for protection against bacteria is using quorum sensing compounds in order to generate a false perception. In another words, bacteria are illusion that the population is very high and hence cease their growth or metabolic activity.