Quorum Sensing Signals Form Complexes with Ag and Cu Cations.

Quorum sensing (QS) regulates important bacterial behaviors such as virulent protein production and biofilm formation. QS requires that molecular signals are exchanged between cells, extracellularly, where environmental conditions influence signal stability. In this work, we present a novel complexation between metal cations (Ag and Cu) and a QS autoinducer signal, N-hexanoyl- L-homoserine lactone (HHL).