Biofilm formation

Biofilms are the result of the multicellular lifestyle of B. subtilis. They are characterized by the formation of a matrix polysaccharide and an amyloid-like protein, TasA. Correction of sfp, epsC, swrAA, and degQ as well as introduction of rapP from a plasmid present in NCIB3610 results in biofilm formation in B. subtilis 168 PubMed.

Parent categories	4. Lifestyles 4.1. Exponential and early post-exponential lifestyles
Neighbouring categories	4.1.1. Motility and chemotaxis 4.1.2. Biofilm formation 4.1.3. Genetic competence
Related categories	SinR regulon
Overview on the categories (Excel file) All genes and their categories (Excel file)

Labs working on biofilm formation

• Daniel Kearns
• Roberto Kolter
• Oscar Kuipers
• Beth Lazazzera
• Richard Losick
• Nicola Stanley-Wall
• Jörg Stülke

Key genes and operons involved in biofilm formation

• matrix polysaccharide synthesis:
  • epsA-epsB-epsC-epsD-epsE-epsF-epsG-epsH-epsI-epsJ-epsK-epsL-epsM-epsN-epsO
  • galE
• amyloid protein synthesis, secretion and assembly
  • tapA-sipW-tasA
• regulation
  • SlrR
  • SlrA
  • SinR
  • SinI
  • PtkA
  • TkmA
  • PtpZ
  • DegU
  • DegQ
  • YmdB
• biofilm disassembly (D-amino acids produced by RacX and YlmE and norspermidine produced by GabT and YaaO act together in preventing biofilm formation and triggering biofilm disassembly PubMed)
  • RacX
  • YlmE
  • GabT
  • YaaO
• other proteins required for biofilm formation
  • AmpS
  • FloT
  • LuxS
  • RemA
  • RemB
  • Rny
  • Sfp/1
  • Sfp/2
  • SpeA
  • SwrAA
  • YisP
  • YlbF
  • YmcA
  • YuaB
  • YvcA
  • YwcC
  • YxaB

Key reviews

Additional reviews: PubMed