quorum sensing
[ kwôr′əm ]
A phenomenon in which a population of bacteria produces and responds to intercellular chemical signals whose concentration indicates the density of the population. When the density reaches a certain level, genes are expressed that allow for coordinated group behavior, as in bioluminescence or the formation of biofilms.
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Words nearby quorum sensing
Quonset hut, quor., quorate, Quorn, quorum, quorum sensing, quot., quota, quotable, quota-hopping, quota sampling
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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