Antibiotic resistance has become a serious concern in treatment of bacterial infections. Overexpression of efflux pump is one of the important mechanisms in antibiotic resistance. In Gram negative bacteria, RND (Resistance-nodulation-cell division) superfamily efflux pump plays a vital important role in antibiotics resistance. Recent research progress unveils an intriguing interrelationship between RND efflux pump and the bacterial quorum sensing system, whose regulation is dependent on small signal molecules. This article reviews the latest findings on the structure and transport mechanism of RND efflux pump, as well as the general features and regulatory mechanisms of quorum sensing, with a special focus on the role and mechanism of quorum sensing system in regulation of RND efflux pump, and the influence of efflux pump on quorum sensing signal transportation. Further investigation of the interrelationship between RND efflux pumps and the bacterial quorum sensing systems is critical for elucidation of the regulatory mechanisms that govern the expression of the RND efflux pumps genes, and may also provide useful clues to overcome the efflux pump mediated antibiotic resistance.
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