Figure 2.

Comparison between bacterial QS and intercellular mitochondrial communication. Bacteria may secret autoinducers to coordinate other individuals nearby to achieve synchronized functions at the population level. In comparison, mitochondrial stress signaling may be transmitted via mitokines to elicit mitochondrial stress responses or metabolic remodeling in recipient cells that are either proximal or distal. Bacterial autoinducers may cause mitochondrial stress, yet it is unclear whether mitokines may modulate bacterial behaviors.