Sum of the parts: composition and architecture of the bacterial extracellular matrix.

ABSTRACT: Bacterial biofilms are complex multicellular assemblies that exhibit resistance to antibiotics and contribute to the pathogenesis of serious and chronic infectious diseases. New approaches and quantitative data are needed to define the molecular composition of bacterial biofilms. Escherichia coli biofilms are known to contain polysaccharides and functional amyloid fibers termed curli, yet accurate determinations of biofilm composition at the molecular level have been elusive. The ability to define the composition of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is crucial for the elucidation of structure-function relationships that will aid the development of chemical strategies to disrupt biofilms. We have developed an approach that integrates non-perturbative preparation of the ECM with electron micros

SUBMITTER: McCrate OA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3812305 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature