A bacterial extracellular DNA inhibits settling of motile progeny cells within a biofilm.

ABSTRACT: In natural systems, bacteria form complex, surface-attached communities known as biofilms. This lifestyle presents numerous advantages compared with unattached or planktonic life, such as exchange of nutrients, protection from environmental stresses and increased tolerance to biocides. Despite such benefits, dispersal also plays an important role in escaping deteriorating environments and in successfully colonizing favourable, unoccupied habitat patches. The α-proteobacterium Caulobacter crescentus produces a motile swarmer cell and a sessile stalked cell at each cell division. We show here that C. crescentus extracellular DNA (eDNA) inhibits the ability of its motile cell type to settle in a biofilm. eDNA binds to the polar holdfast, an adhesive structure required for permanent surface at

SUBMITTER: Berne C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2962764 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature