Biofilms: Microbial Life on Surfaces

Biofilms: Microbial Life on Surfaces

Microorganisms attach to surfaces and develop biofilms. Biofilm-associated cells can be differentiated from their suspended counterparts by generation of an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix, reduced growth rates, and the up- and down- regulation of specific genes. Attachment is a complex process regulated by diverse characteristics of the growth medium, substratum, and cell surfac...

Optical Sensing of Microbial Life on Surfaces.

The label-free detection of microbial cells attached to a surface is an active field of research. The field is driven by the need to understand and control the growth of biofilms in a number of applications, including basic research in natural environments, industrial facilities, and clinical devices, to name a few. Despite significant progress in the ability to monitor the growth of biofilms a...

Biofilms on Plant Surfaces

Land plants modify the terrestrial environment extensively by nutrient acquisition, water utilization, physical disruption and cohesion of the soil, and the release of complex exudate materials. Decaying plant matter is also a major source of organic material in soils. Large numbers of microorganisms associate with and flourish on, within, and around plants, colonizing virtually all exposed tis...

Bacterial Biofilms on Fungal Surfaces

Bacterial biofilm formation on fungi participates in the synergistic degradation of substrates, antagonism of fungal growth, bacterial utilization of fungi as nutrient sources, and the formation of more complex synergistic associations for the purposes of nutrient acquisition. While bacterial biofilm formation has been described in many systems, the molecular mechanisms that govern these intera...

Microbial Biofilms