A transposon mutant library of Bacillus cereus ATCC 10987 reveals novel genes required for biofilm formation and implicates motility as an important factor for pellicle-biofilm formation.

ABSTRACT: Bacillus cereus is one of the most common opportunistic pathogens causing foodborne illness, as well as a common source of contamination in the dairy industry. B. cereus can form robust biofilms on food processing surfaces, resulting in food contamination due to shedding of cells and spores. Despite the medical and industrial relevance of this species, the genetic basis of biofilm formation in B. cereus is not well studied. In order to identify genes required for biofilm formation in this bacterium, we created a library of 5000 +  transposon mutants of the biofilm-forming strain B. cereusATCC 10987, using an unbiased mariner transposon approach. The mutant library was screened for the ability to form a pellicle biofilm at the air-media interface, as well as a submerged biofilm at the solid

SUBMITTER: Okshevsky M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5911993 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature