DPO production by gut commensals suggests a broader role in bacterial communication and host-microbiome interactions.

The quorum-sensing molecule 3,5-dimethylpyrazine-2-ol (DPO), known for regulating biofilm formation in Vibrio cholerae, has unknown distribution among commensal bacteria. We screened 37 bacterial strains using a validated biosensor and found widespread production. Inoculating mice with high producers elevated gut DPO levels, highlighting DPO's potential influence on gut microbiota. These findings expand DPO's ecological relevance and underscore quorum sensing as a potentially critical influence on microbiome function and host-microbe interactions.