Acetic Acid Acts as a Volatile Signal To Stimulate Bacterial Biofilm Formation.

ABSTRACT:

Unlabelled

Volatiles are small air-transmittable chemicals with diverse biological activities. In this study, we showed that volatiles produced by the bacterium Bacillus subtilis had a profound effect on biofilm formation of neighboring B. subtilis cells that grew in proximity but were physically separated. We further demonstrated that one such volatile, acetic acid, is particularly potent in stimulating biofilm formation. Multiple lines of genetic evidence based on B. subtilis mutants that are defective in either acetic acid production or transportation suggest that B. subtilis uses acetic acid as a metabolic signal to coordinate the timing of biofilm formation. Lastly, we investigated how B. subtilis cells sense and respond to acetic acid in regulating biofilm formation. We showe

SUBMITTER: Chen Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4462622 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature