Small talk: cell-to-cell communication in bacteria
Bassler BL · Cell 2002
Review
Key finding
Bacteria use secreted chemical signals to count their own numbers and coordinate group behaviour.
In plain language
The paper that framed bacterial signalling as conversation. It lays out how bacteria release small molecules, sense how much is around, and change what they do once the crowd is big enough.
How much weight this carries
Repeatedly demonstrated, with agreement across independent groups.
Cite or read it
Bassler BL (2002). Small talk: cell-to-cell communication in bacteria. Cell. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0092-8674(02)00749-3