biofilm
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyA Heterogeneously Expressed Gene Family Modulates the Biofilm Architecture and Hypoxic Growth of Aspergillus fumigatusThe manipulation of microbial biofilms in industrial and clinical applications remains a difficult task. The problem is particularly acute with regard to filamentous fungal biofilms for which molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation, maintenance, and function are only just being elucidated.
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyLight Signaling Regulates Aspergillus niger Biofilm Formation by Affecting Melanin and Extracellular Polysaccharide BiosynthesisAs an important industrial filamentous fungus, Aspergillus niger can perceive light. The link between light signaling and A. niger biofilm is worthy of further study since reports are lacking in this area.
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyFlagellar Perturbations Activate Adhesion through Two Distinct Pathways in Caulobacter crescentusUnderstanding how bacteria colonize solid surfaces is of significant clinical, industrial and ecological importance. In this study, we identified genes that are required for Caulobacter crescentus to activate surface attachment in response to signals from a macromolecular machine called the flagellum.
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyPseudomonas aeruginosa Uses c-di-GMP Phosphodiesterases RmcA and MorA To Regulate Biofilm MaintenanceRecent advances in our understanding of c-di-GMP signaling have provided key insights into the regulation of biofilms. Despite an improved understanding of how biofilms initially form, the processes that facilitate the long-term maintenance of these multicellular communities remain opaque.
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyThe Transcription Factor SomA Synchronously Regulates Biofilm Formation and Cell Wall Homeostasis in Aspergillus fumigatusThe cell wall is essential for fungal viability and is absent from human hosts; thus, drugs disrupting cell wall biosynthesis have gained more attention. Caspofungin is a member of a new class of clinically approved echinocandin drugs to treat invasive aspergillosis by blocking β-1,3-glucan synthase, thus damaging the fungal cell wall. Here, we demonstrate that caspofungin and other cell wall stressors can induce galactosaminogalactan (...
Observation | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyMicron Scale Spatial Measurement of the O2 Gradient Surrounding a Bacterial Biofilm in Real TimeO2 is a fundamental environmental metabolite that affects all life on earth. While toxic to many microbes and obligately required by others, those that have appropriate physiological responses survive and can even benefit from various levels of O2, particularly in biofilm communities. Although most studies have focused on measuring O2 within biofilms, little is known about O2 gradients...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyStaphylococcus aureus ATP Synthase Promotes Biofilm Persistence by Influencing Innate ImmunityMedical device-associated biofilm infections are a therapeutic challenge based on their antibiotic tolerance and ability to evade immune-mediated clearance. The virulence determinants responsible for bacterial biofilm to induce a maladaptive immune response remain largely unknown. This study identified a critical role for S. aureus ATP synthase in influencing the host...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental SciencePhase Transitions by an Abundant Protein in the Anammox Extracellular Matrix Mediate Cell-to-Cell Aggregation and Biofilm FormationBy employing biophysical and liquid-liquid phase separation concepts, this study revealed how a highly abundant extracellular protein enhances the key environmental and industrial bioprocess of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox). Extracellular proteins of environmental biofilms are understudied and poorly annotated in public databases. Understanding the function of extracellular proteins is also increasingly important for improving...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyPhenotypic Parallelism during Experimental Adaptation of a Free-Living Bacterium to the Zebrafish GutAlthough animals encounter many bacterial species throughout their lives, only a subset colonize vertebrate digestive tracts, and these bacteria can profoundly influence the health and development of their animal hosts. We used experimental evolution to study a free-living bacterium as it adapts to a novel vertebrate host by serially passaging replicate populations of ...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyCapsular Polysaccharide Cross-Regulation Modulates Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron Biofilm FormationThe human gut harbors a complex bacterial community that plays important roles in host health and disease, including nutrient acquisition, maturation of the immune system, and resistance to infections. The capacity to adhere to surfaces and form communities called biofilms is believed to be important for niche colonization and maintenance of gut bacteria. However, little is known about the adhesion capacity of most gut bacteria. In this...