The milk fat globule size governs a physiological switch for biofilm formation by Bacillus subtilis.

ABSTRACT: Milk lipids are organized in the form of milk fat globules (MFG), ranging in size from 0. 1 to 15 μm. The MFG size is closely associated with the composition of fatty acids, polar lipids, sphingolipids, cholesterol and the content of the MFG membrane (MFGM). Also, the MFGM integral proteins and glycoconjugates differ in composition and structure between different MFG size groups. These compositional differences may modulate the functionality of the MFG and its interaction with microbial cells. We report that small (2.3 μm) MFG facilitates the growth of the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis whereas induction of biofilm formation was found in the presence of large (7.0 μm) MFG. Attempting to distinguish between the role played by the size from that played by the composition of

SUBMITTER: Raz C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9404525 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature