Abstract: A method for detecting quorum sensing potential in a sample is provided comprising extracting nucleic acid from a sample comprising at least one type of microorganism; performing a polymerase chain reaction on the nucleic acid using oligonucleotide primers, wherein each of the primers comprises at least 15 nucleobases and anneal to a consensus sequence of a lux gene and homologs thereof, wherein the first eight nucleobases at the 3′ end of the primers comprise a match to said consensus sequence with optional degeneracy at positions 4-8 from the 3′ end of the primers; separating the amplified DNA fragments; and determining whether any amplified DNA fragment corresponds to the size of a predicted product related to quorum sensing potential. Methods of amplifying fragments of lux genes and homologs thereof are also provided as well as isolated nucleic acid fragments of lux and kits for performing PCR reactions.