Question

Explain how this enables the bacterium to detect the population density

Answer 1

Answer:

The concentration of chemical auto inducers increases with increase in population density

Explanation:

There is something known as Quorum sensing which is a sort of cellular communication in bacteria established through chemical signals. A bacterium is enabled to observe/monitor the environment and thus produce a widespread change in the species with in a community. These sensing processes are effective only when large numbers of cells are doing sensing controlled process together. A bacteria releases auto-inducers whose concentration increases when the population density of cells increase.

Answer 2

"When autoinducers produced by one bacterium cross the membrane of another, they bind to receptors in the cytoplasm. This autoinducer/receptor complex is then able to bind to DNA promoters and activate the transcription of quorum sensing-controlled genes. In this way, individual bacteria within a group are able to benefit from the activity of the entire group."