Phenotypic diversification and adaptation of Serratia marcescens MG1 biofilm-derived morphotypes.

ABSTRACT: We report here the characterization of dispersal variants from microcolony-type biofilms of Serratia marcescens MG1. Biofilm formation proceeds through a reproducible process of attachment, aggregation, microcolony development, hollow colony formation, and dispersal. From the time when hollow colonies were observed in flow cell biofilms after 3 to 4 days, at least six different morphological colony variants were consistently isolated from the biofilm effluent. The timing and pattern of variant formation were found to follow a predictable sequence, where some variants, such as a smooth variant with a sticky colony texture (SSV), could be consistently isolated at the time when mature hollow colonies were observed, whereas a variant that produced copious amounts of capsular polysaccharide (SU

SUBMITTER: Koh KS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1797207 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature