bacterial quorum sensing (qs) is a form of intercellular communication that relies on the production and detection of diffusive signaling molecules called autoinducers. such a mechanism allows the bacteria to track their cell density in order to regulate group behavior, such as biofilm formation and bioluminescence. in a number of bacterial qs systems, including v. harveyi, multiple signaling pathways are integrated into a single phosphorylation-dephosphorylation cycle. in this talk, we will explore how qs uses feedback loops to 'decode' the integrated signals by actively changing the sensitivity in different pathways.