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| Open AccessCell-lysis sensing drives biofilm formation in Vibrio cholerae
Bacteria form matrix-encapsulated communities, called biofilms, which protect resident cells from environmental challenges. Here, the authors show that Vibrio cholerae cells detect environmental threats by sensing a cellular component released through kin cell lysis, which induces formation of biofilms by surviving cells.
- Jojo A. Prentice
- , Robert van de Weerd
- & Andrew A. Bridges
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Article
| Open AccessA c-di-GMP signaling module controls responses to iron in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
The second messenger c-di-GMP regulates various processes in bacteria, including biofilm formation and motility. Here, the authors show that iron regulates c-di-GMP levels in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by modulating the interaction between an iron-sensing protein and a diguanylate cyclase.
- Xueliang Zhan
- , Kuo Zhang
- & Haihua Liang
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Article
| Open AccessMechanisms of extracellular electron transfer in anaerobic methanotrophic archaea
Anaerobic methanotrophic (ANME) archaea are uncultivated microbes that oxidize the greenhouse gas methane and engage in extracellular electron transfer with other microbes, metal oxides, and electrodes. Here, Ouboter et al. observe strong methane-dependent current associated with high enrichment of ANME archaea on the anode, and provide insights into the mechanisms underlying extracellular electron transfer.
- Heleen T. Ouboter
- , Rob Mesman
- & Cornelia U. Welte
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Article
| Open AccessLsr2 acts as a cyclic di-GMP receptor that promotes keto-mycolic acid synthesis and biofilm formation in mycobacteria
Cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) is a second messenger that promotes biofilm formation through unclear mechanisms in several bacterial species. Here, Ling et al. report that c-di-GMP promotes biofilm formation in mycobacteria by binding to protein Lsr2, which upregulates the synthesis of keto-mycolic acid and thus biofilm formation.
- Xiaocui Ling
- , Xiao Liu
- & Weihui Li
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Article
| Open AccessStaphylococcus aureus functional amyloids catalyze degradation of β-lactam antibiotics
A number of mechanisms are known to mediate bacterial antibiotic resistance. Here, Arad et al show that amyloid fibrils produced by Staphylococcus aureus rapidly degrade common antibiotic molecules.
- Elad Arad
- , Kasper B. Pedersen
- & Raz Jelinek
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Article
| Open AccessRNA is a key component of extracellular DNA networks in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms
The roles of extracellular RNAs present in bacterial biofilms are poorly understood. Here, Mugunthan et al. show that specific mRNAs associate with extracellular DNA in the matrix of bacterial biofilms, facilitating the formation of viscoelastic networks.
- Sudarsan Mugunthan
- , Lan Li Wong
- & Thomas Seviour
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Article
| Open AccessDirect comparison of spatial transcriptional heterogeneity across diverse Bacillus subtilis biofilm communities
The bacterium Bacillus subtilis can form various types of surface-associated communities, such as colonies, pellicles and submerged biofilms. Here, Dergham et al. provide a direct comparison of spatial transcriptional heterogeneity across the three types of surface-associated communities, revealing mosaic expression patterns for genes involved in various pathways.
- Yasmine Dergham
- , Dominique Le Coq
- & Romain Briandet
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Article
| Open AccessIron oxide nanozymes stabilize stannous fluoride for targeted biofilm killing and synergistic oral disease prevention
Ferumoxytol (Fer) is an FDA-approved iron oxide formulation that disrupts caries-causing biofilms with high specificity but cannot interfere with enamel acid demineralization. Here, Fer is combined with stannous fluoride (SnF2), resulting in enhanced stability of SnF2 and inhibition of both biofilm accumulation and enamel damage more effectively than either alone.
- Yue Huang
- , Yuan Liu
- & Hyun Koo
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Article
| Open AccessCooperative microbial interactions drive spatial segregation in porous environments
Cooperative interactions might be important in spatially structured microbial habitats. Here, the authors show that cooperative interactions between planktonic and biofilm-forming bacteria drive spatial segregation, and thereby enable species’ coexistence, in a microfluidic chip environment.
- Yichao Wu
- , Chengxia Fu
- & Peng Cai
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Article
| Open AccessA polyamine acetyltransferase regulates the motility and biofilm formation of Acinetobacter baumannii
Acinetobacter baumanii has an uncharacterized surface-associated motility which is a feature of its persistence. Here, Armalytė et al identify an acetyltransferase that affects this motility and present a functional and structural characterisation of it
- Julija Armalytė
- , Albinas Čepauskas
- & Dukas Jurėnas
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Article
| Open AccessTiming of antibiotic administration determines the spread of plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance during microbial range expansion
Plasmids are the main vector by which antibiotic resistance is transferred between bacterial cells within surface-associated communities. Here, Ma et al. show that plasmid spread peaks at intermediate antibiotic administration times, when the intermixing of plasmid donors and potential recipients is maximal.
- Yinyin Ma
- , Josep Ramoneda
- & David R. Johnson
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Article
| Open AccessSelenomonas sputigena acts as a pathobiont mediating spatial structure and biofilm virulence in early childhood caries
Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) has been implicated as a major pathogen in childhood caries. Here, the authors show that Selenomonas sputigena, a flagellated anaerobe, interacts with S. mutans in the supragingival biofilm, builds a honeycomb-like multicellular-superstructure that encapsulates it, and promotes the development of childhood dental caries.
- Hunyong Cho
- , Zhi Ren
- & Hyun Koo
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Article
| Open AccessBacterial capsular polysaccharides with antibiofilm activity share common biophysical and electrokinetic properties
Bacteria produce several high molecular weight polysaccharides with ill-defined anti-adhesion properties. Here, the authors identified key molecular and biophysical determinants of active antibiofilm polysaccharides, opening new perspectives to identify or engineer new compounds able to control bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation.
- Joaquín Bernal-Bayard
- , Jérôme Thiebaud
- & Jean-Marc Ghigo
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Article
| Open AccessCell surface-localized CsgF condensate is a gatekeeper in bacterial curli subunit secretion
In this work, the authors show that the phase separation of a cell surface-associated protein called CsgF is critical to mediate the secretion and assembly of the amyloidogenic curli subunits.
- Hema M. Swasthi
- , Joseph L. Basalla
- & Matthew R. Chapman
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Article
| Open AccessVibrio cholerae biofilms use modular adhesins with glycan-targeting and nonspecific surface binding domains for colonization
Bacteria often express multiple adhesive proteins (adhesins) for biofilm formation, but it is often unclear whether adhesins have specialized or redundant roles. Here, the authors show that Vibrio cholerae uses two adhesins with overlapping but distinct functions to achieve robust adhesion to diverse surfaces.
- Xin Huang
- , Thomas Nero
- & Jing Yan
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Article
| Open AccessAnaerobic thiosulfate oxidation by the Roseobacter group is prevalent in marine biofilms
Thiosulfate oxidation by microbes has a major impact on global sulfur cycling. Here, Ding et al. provide evidence that bacteria of the Roseobacter group are major thiosulfate-oxidizers in marine biofilms, where anaerobic thiosulfate metabolism is preferred.
- Wei Ding
- , Shougang Wang
- & Weipeng Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessThe F-pilus biomechanical adaptability accelerates conjugative dissemination of antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation
Enteropathogenic bacteria use extracellular appendages, known as F-pili, to share plasmids carrying antibiotic resistance genes. Here, the authors show that F-pili are highly flexible but robust at the same time, and this is important for plasmid transfer and formation of biofilms that protect against the action of antibiotics.
- Jonasz B. Patkowski
- , Tobias Dahlberg
- & Tiago R. D. Costa
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Article
| Open AccessSuicidal chemotaxis in bacteria
Bacteria respond to nutrients and other compounds via chemotaxis, but little is known of their responses to antibiotics. By tracking cells in antibiotic gradients, the authors show that surface-attached Pseudomonas aeruginosa move towards antibiotics in what appears to be a suicidal attack strategy.
- Nuno M. Oliveira
- , James H. R. Wheeler
- & Kevin R. Foster
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Article
| Open AccessSubcellular localization of type IV pili regulates bacterial multicellular development
Bacteria can form organized multicellular communities through regulation of cell growth, motility, shape and differentiation. Here, Ellison et al. show that bacterial multicellular development can also be driven by specific patterns of localization of appendages known as type IV pili.
- Courtney K. Ellison
- , Chenyi Fei
- & Zemer Gitai
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Article
| Open AccessQuorum-sensing control of matrix protein production drives fractal wrinkling and interfacial localization of Vibrio cholerae pellicles
Bacterial cells at fluid interfaces can self-assemble into soft living materials, called pellicles. Here, Qin and Bassler use the bacterium Vibrio cholerae as a model system to identify regulatory and structural components that drive sequential mechanical instabilities underlying pellicle morphogenesis, culminating in fractal patterning.
- Boyang Qin
- & Bonnie L. Bassler
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Article
| Open AccessMicrobial biofilms as living photoconductors due to ultrafast electron transfer in cytochrome OmcS nanowires
Despite enormous potential of solar-driven biocatalysis, most living systems lack photoactive proteins and require toxic and expensive synthetic materials limiting the performance. Here, a class of natural photoconductors is demonstrated through sub-picosecond heme-to-heme electron transfer in bacteria-produced protein nanowires.
- Jens Neu
- , Catharine C. Shipps
- & Nikhil S. Malvankar
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Article
| Open AccessNatural transformation allows transfer of SCCmec-mediated methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus biofilms
SCCmec is a large mobile genetic element that confers resistance to β-lactam antibiotics in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Here, the authors show that biofilm growth conditions enhance the efficiency of natural transformation in S. aureus and allow the transfer of SCCmec to methicillin-sensitive strains.
- Mais Maree
- , Le Thuy Thi Nguyen
- & Kazuya Morikawa
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Article
| Open AccesscAMP and c-di-GMP synergistically support biofilm maintenance through the direct interaction of their effectors
Nucleotide second messengers, such as cAMP and c-di-GMP, regulate many physiological processes in bacteria, including biofilm formation. Here, the authors provide evidence of cross-talk between cAMP and c-di-GMP pathways through direct interaction of their effectors, showing that the cAMP receptor protein (CRP) can play regulatory roles at the post-translational level.
- Cong Liu
- , Di Sun
- & Weijie Liu
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Article
| Open AccessMechanical forces drive a reorientation cascade leading to biofilm self-patterning
Bacterial biofilms exhibit complex spatiotemporal pattern formation. Here the authors report a collective cell reorientation cascade in growing Vibrio cholerae biofilms that leads to a differentially ordered, spatiotemporally coupled core-rim structure.
- Japinder Nijjer
- , Changhao Li
- & Jing Yan
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Article
| Open AccessCoordination of fungal biofilm development by extracellular vesicle cargo
The fungal pathogen Candida albicans can release extracellular vesicles that promote biofilm formation and antifungal resistance. Here, Zarnowski et al. define functions for numerous vesicle cargo proteins in biofilm matrix assembly and drug resistance, as well as in fungal cell adhesion and dissemination.
- Robert Zarnowski
- , Andrea Noll
- & David R. Andes
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Article
| Open AccessSocial motility of biofilm-like microcolonies in a gliding bacterium
Bacterial biofilms are aggregates of surface-associated cells embedded in an extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) matrix. Here, the authors describe a unique mode of collective movement by self-propelled, surface-associated spherical microcolonies with EPS cores in the gliding bacterium Flavobacterium johnsoniae.
- Chao Li
- , Amanda Hurley
- & David J. Beebe
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Article
| Open AccessStructural and functional characterization of the bacterial biofilm activator RemA
Biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis requires expression of matrix production genes, which are upregulated by transcriptional activator RemA. Here, the authors show that RemA forms octameric rings with the potential to form a 16-meric superstructure, suggesting that the protein can wrap DNA through a LytTR-related domain.
- Tamara Hoffmann
- , Devid Mrusek
- & Gert Bange
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Article
| Open AccessBacterial cellulose spheroids as building blocks for 3D and patterned living materials and for regeneration
Bacterial cellulose is a promising cheap-to-produce programmable engineered living material. Here the authors present a method for production of spheroids for use as engineerable building blocks able to sense and respond to chemical inputs.
- Joaquin Caro-Astorga
- , Kenneth T. Walker
- & Tom Ellis
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Article
| Open AccessLytic archaeal viruses infect abundant primary producers in Earth’s crust
Little is known about viral-host interactions in the continental subsurface. Here, the authors use a combination of metagenomics, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and electron microscopy to show infections of abundant C-fixing subsurface archaea by lytic viruses.
- Janina Rahlff
- , Victoria Turzynski
- & Alexander J. Probst
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Article
| Open AccessHigh-throughput fitness screening and transcriptomics identify a role for a type IV secretion system in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease-associated Escherichia coli
Adherent-invasive E. coli (AIEC) are frequently isolated from Crohn’s disease (CD) patients. Here, Elhenawy et al. conduct a genome-wide screen to identify AIEC genes required for in vivo intestinal colonization, and show that a type IV secretion system contributes to AIEC persistence in the gut and is enriched in CD patients’ isolates.
- Wael Elhenawy
- , Sarah Hordienko
- & Brian K. Coombes
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Article
| Open AccessBacterial cyclic diguanylate signaling networks sense temperature
Many bacteria use the second messenger cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) to control motility, biofilm production and virulence. Here, the authors identify a thermosensitive enzyme that synthesizes c-di-GMP and modulates temperature-dependent motility, biofilm development and virulence in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
- Henrik Almblad
- , Trevor E. Randall
- & Joe Jonathan Harrison
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Article
| Open AccessBiofilm formation in the lung contributes to virulence and drug tolerance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis forms biofilms in vitro, but it is unclear whether biofilms are also formed during infection in vivo. Here, Chakraborty et al. demonstrate the formation of biofilms in animal models of infection and in patients with tuberculosis, and that biofilm formation can contribute to drug tolerance.
- Poushali Chakraborty
- , Sapna Bajeli
- & Ashwani Kumar
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Article
| Open AccessStaphylococcus aureus induces an itaconate-dominated immunometabolic response that drives biofilm formation
The authors show that the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus induces a distinct airway immunometabolic response, dominated by release of itaconate. This metabolite, in turn, potentiates extracellular polysaccharide synthesis and biofilm formation in S. aureus, which may facilitate chronic infection.
- Kira L. Tomlinson
- , Tania Wong Fok Lung
- & Sebastián A. Riquelme
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Article
| Open AccessSurface-bound reactive oxygen species generating nanozymes for selective antibacterial action
Nanozymes have been used for antibacterial applications but have potential toxicity to mammalian cells. Here the authors suggest that nanozymes that generate surface bound reactive oxygen species disrupt bacterial cell walls but not mammalian cells walls due to the different particle uptake mechanisms.
- Feng Gao
- , Tianyi Shao
- & Lihua Yang
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Article
| Open AccessNon-invasive single-cell morphometry in living bacterial biofilms
Accurate cell detection in dense bacterial biofilms is challenging. Here, the authors report an image analysis pipeline that is able to accurately segment and classify single bacterial cells in 3D fluorescence images: Bacterial Cell Morphometry 3D (BCM3D).
- Mingxing Zhang
- , Ji Zhang
- & Andreas Gahlmann
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Article
| Open AccessRNA-mediated control of cell shape modulates antibiotic resistance in Vibrio cholerae
Small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) in Vibrio cholerae have been shown to modulate several biological processess including virulence, biofilm formation, quorum sensing, colony morphology and stress resistance. Here, the authors show that VadR sRNA acts as a posttranscriptional inhibitor of the crvA mRNA and that mutation of vadR increases cell curvature, whereas overexpression has the inverse effect.
- Nikolai Peschek
- , Roman Herzog
- & Kai Papenfort
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Article
| Open AccessSensing of autoinducer-2 by functionally distinct receptors in prokaryotes
The small molecule AI-2 acts as a quorum sensing signal, mediating communication within and between many bacterial species. Here, the authors identify a new type of AI-2 receptor, consisting of a dCACHE domain that is present in many bacterial and archaeal proteins.
- Lei Zhang
- , Shuyu Li
- & Xihui Shen
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Article
| Open AccessStructural and biochemical characterization of the exopolysaccharide deacetylase Agd3 required for Aspergillus fumigatus biofilm formation
The exopolysaccharide galactosaminogalactan (GAG) is an important virulence factor of the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. Here, the authors study an A. fumigatus enzyme that deacetylates GAG in a metal-dependent manner and constitutes a founding member of a new carbohydrate esterase family.
- Natalie C. Bamford
- , François Le Mauff
- & P. Lynne Howell
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Article
| Open AccessDual functionality of the amyloid protein TasA in Bacillus physiology and fitness on the phylloplane
The amyloid protein TasA is a main component of the extracellular matrix in Bacillus subtilis biofilms. Here the authors show that, in addition to a structural function during biofilm assembly and interactions with plants, TasA contributes to the stabilization of membrane dynamics during stationary phase.
- Jesús Cámara-Almirón
- , Yurena Navarro
- & Diego Romero
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Article
| Open Accessc-di-GMP modulates type IV MSHA pilus retraction and surface attachment in Vibrio cholerae
Biofilm formation by Vibrio cholerae is regulated by c-di-GMP and requires the type IV MSHA pilus. Here, Floyd et al. show that the MSHA pilus is a dynamic system, and that both extension and retraction are directly controlled by c-di-GMP via regulation of activity of the extension ATPase MshE.
- Kyle A. Floyd
- , Calvin K. Lee
- & Fitnat H. Yildiz
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Article
| Open AccessDynamics of bacterial population growth in biofilms resemble spatial and structural aspects of urbanization
Bacterial biofilms develop from initial colonizers on surfaces that subsequently evolve into structured communities. Here, Paula et al. study this process in Streptococcus mutans and show growth dynamics that display spatial and structural patterns that are analogous to urbanization.
- Amauri J. Paula
- , Geelsu Hwang
- & Hyun Koo
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Article
| Open AccessSalmonella Typhimurium biofilm disruption by a human antibody that binds a pan-amyloid epitope on curli
Curli amyloid fibers are important components of bacterial biofilms formed by E. coli and Salmonella. Here, Tursi et al. show that a human monoclonal antibody with pan-amyloid binding activity can disrupt biofilms formed by Salmonella Typhimurium in vitro and in vivo.
- Sarah A. Tursi
- , Rama Devudu Puligedda
- & Çagla Tükel
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Article
| Open AccessStochastic pulsing of gene expression enables the generation of spatial patterns in Bacillus subtilis biofilms
Stochastic pulsing of gene expression can generate phenotypic diversity in a genetically identical population of cells. Here, the authors show that stochastic pulsing in the expression of a sigma factor enables the formation of spatial patterns in a multicellular system, Bacillus subtilis bacterial biofilms.
- Eugene Nadezhdin
- , Niall Murphy
- & James C. W. Locke
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Article
| Open AccessEvolutionary selection of biofilm-mediated extended phenotypes in Yersinia pestis in response to a fluctuating environment
Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, can change its biofilm production to influence the dynamics of flea-borne transmission. Here, the authors sequence Y. pestis isolates sampled over 40 years in China and show evidence for climate-associated selection on rpoZ to increase biofilm production.
- Yujun Cui
- , Boris V. Schmid
- & Ruifu Yang
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Article
| Open AccessAssembly and substrate recognition of curli biogenesis system
A major component of bacterial biofilms is curli amyloid fibrils secreted by the curli biogenesis system. Here authors use cryo-EM to visualize the secretion channel complexes (CsgF-CsgG) with and without the curli substrate and provide insights into curli biogenesis.
- Zhaofeng Yan
- , Meng Yin
- & Xueming Li
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Article
| Open AccessInhibiting bacterial cooperation is an evolutionarily robust anti-biofilm strategy
Bacterial biofilms rely on shared extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and are often highly tolerant to antibiotics. Here, the authors show in in vitro experiments that Salmonella does not evolve resistance to EPS inhibition because such strains are outcompeted by a susceptible strain under inhibitor treatment.
- Lise Dieltjens
- , Kenny Appermans
- & Hans P. Steenackers
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Article
| Open AccessFouling-resistant biofilter of an anaerobic electrochemical membrane reactor
Membrane use as a cathode is a common measure to retard fouling in anaerobic electrochemical membrane bioreactors, but this cannot avoid the fouling growth. Here the authors report on using membranes as anodes to create equilibrium between fouling and oxidation to maintain stable operation.
- Qilin Yu
- & Yaobin Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessEfficient inter-species conjugative transfer of a CRISPR nuclease for targeted bacterial killing
CRISPR nucleases can be programmed to cleave sequences in specific bacteria to induce cell death. Here, Hamilton et al. present an optimized method for conjugative delivery of CRISPR nucleases, consisting of a single plasmid that encodes both the conjugative machinery and the nuclease.
- Thomas A. Hamilton
- , Gregory M. Pellegrino
- & David R. Edgell
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Article
| Open AccessSurface association sensitizes Pseudomonas aeruginosa to quorum sensing
Surface association and quorum sensing regulate bacterial community behaviours such as biofilm formation and motility. Here, Chuang et al. show that surface association promotes stronger quorum-sensing responses in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by upregulating the master regulator LasR.
- Sara K. Chuang
- , Geoffrey D. Vrla
- & Zemer Gitai