Understanding quorum sensing self-organization: Clustering and defect-induced ordering of diffusing particles

Abstract

Quorum sensing (QS) is known in biology as a form of intercellular communication mediated by signaling molecules called autoinducers. The QS protocol governs the transition from individual to collective cell behavior once a critical population density is reached. Using numerical simulations, we investigate how defects influence the QS transition and the structural organization of the resulting colonies. Our model system consists of a mixture of slow ("cold") and fast ("hot") diffusing colloidal particles that obey the QS protocol, together with defect particles characterized by a constant diffusivity. A striking reentrant solidification of QS particles, characterized by long-range order, is induced by hot defects, whereas cold defects give rise to amorphous structures with only short-range order. These findings deepen our understanding of the QS interaction and provide a mechanism to control the degree of organization in QS systems, with potential applications in robotics, social sciences, and medicine -- for instance, in overcoming antimicrobial resistance.