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.

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	none
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
  • yqxM-sipW-tasA
• regulation
  • SlrR
  • SlrA
  • SinR
  • SinI
  • PtkA
  • TkmA
  • PtpZ
  • DegU
  • RacX
• biofilm disassembly
  • YlmE
• other proteins required for biofilm formation
  • SpeA
  • YmcA
  • YxaB

Important original publications

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)

Key reviews

• additional reviews: PubMed