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
• Oscar Kuipers
• Beth Lazazzera
• Richard Losick
• Nicola Stanley-Wall

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
• amyloid protein synthesis, secretion and assembly
  • tapA-sipW-tasA
• regulation
  • SlrR
  • SlrA
  • SinR
  • SinI
  • PtkA
  • TkmA
  • PtpZ
  • DegU
  • DegQ
  • RacX
• biofilm disassembly
  • YlmE
• other proteins required for biofilm formation
  • AmpS
  • FloT
  • LuxS
  • RemA
  • RemB
  • Sfp/1
  • Sfp/2
  • SpeA
  • SwrAA
  • YisP
  • YlbF
  • YmcA
  • YuaB
  • YvcA
  • YwcC
  • YxaB

Important original publications

Anna L McLoon, Sarah B Guttenplan, Daniel B Kearns, Roberto Kolter, Richard Losick
Tracing the domestication of a biofilm-forming bacterium.
J Bacteriol: 2011, 193(8);2027-34
[PubMed:21278284] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Arnaud Bridier, Dominique Le Coq, Florence Dubois-Brissonnet, Vincent Thomas, Stéphane Aymerich, Romain Briandet
The spatial architecture of Bacillus subtilis biofilms deciphered using a surface-associated model and in situ imaging.
PLoS One: 2011, 6(1);e16177
[PubMed:21267464] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I e)

Nicola R Stanley, Beth A Lazazzera
Defining the genetic differences between wild and domestic strains of Bacillus subtilis that affect poly-gamma-dl-glutamic acid production and biofilm formation.
Mol Microbiol: 2005, 57(4);1143-58
[PubMed:16091050] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Key reviews

Roberto Kolter
Biofilms in lab and nature: a molecular geneticist's voyage to microbial ecology.
Int Microbiol: 2010, 13(1);1-7
[PubMed:20890834] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Daniel Lopez, Hera Vlamakis, Roberto Kolter
Generation of multiple cell types in Bacillus subtilis.
FEMS Microbiol Rev: 2009, 33(1);152-63
[PubMed:19054118] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Wolf-Rainer Abraham
Controlling biofilms of gram-positive pathogenic bacteria.
Curr Med Chem: 2006, 13(13);1509-24
[PubMed:16787201] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

J A Shapiro
Thinking about bacterial populations as multicellular organisms.
Annu Rev Microbiol: 1998, 52;81-104
[PubMed:9891794] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

• additional reviews: PubMed