Bacterial biofilms: prokaryotic adventures in multicellularity.Three-dimensional bacterial biofilm Biofilm An adhesive substance, the glycocalyx, and the bacterial community which it envelops at the interface of a liquid and a surface. When a liquid is in contact with an inert surface, any bacteria within the liquid are attracted to the surface and adhere microstructures display multicellular mul·ti·cel·lu·lar adj. Having or consisting of many cells. mul  ti·cel characteristics in common with higher organisms, such as cell death and differentiation during development, which carry several medical and evolutionary implications. Biofilm microstructures appear to enhance bacterial tolerance to a number of stresses, including antimicrobial agents Antimicrobial agentsChemical compounds biosynthetically or synthetically produced which either destroy or usefully suppress the growth or metabolism of a variety of microscopic or submicroscopic forms of life. ; determinants of multicellularity, such as cell-cell signaling, are necessary for this tolerance. Processes of microcolony development and differentiation are therefore of particular interest as targets for novel strategies to control biofilms. Webb JS, Givskov M, Kielleberg S. Bacterial biofilms: prokaryotic pro·kar·y·ote also pro·car·y·ote n. An organism of the kingdom Monera (or Prokaryotae), comprising the bacteria and cyanobacteria, characterized by the absence of a distinct, membrane-bound nucleus or membrane-bound organelles, and by DNA that adventures in multicellularity. Curr Opin Microbiol 2003;6:578-85. Review. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mib.2003.10.014 |
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