Biofilm matrix cloaks bacterial quorum sensing chemoattractants from predator detection.

ABSTRACT: Microbes often secrete high levels of quorum sensing (QS) autoinducers into the environment to coordinate gene expression and biofilm formation, but risk detection and subsequent predation by bacterivorous predators. With such prominent signaling molecules acting as chemoattractants that diffuse into the environment at alarmingly high concentrations, it is unclear if bacterial cells can mask their chemical trails from predator detection. Here, we describe a microbial-based anti-detection adaptation, termed as "biofilm cloak", where the biofilm prey produced biofilm matrix exopolysaccharides that "locked" and reduced the leaching of autoinducers into the milieu, thereby concealing their trails to the detection by the bacterivorous Caenorhabditis elegans nematode. The exopolysaccharides act

SUBMITTER: Li S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9038794 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature