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Bacillus subtilis spreads by surfing on waves of surfactant
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Angelini, T. E., Roper, Marcus, Kolter, R., Weitz, D. A. and Brenner, M. P. (2009) Bacillus subtilis spreads by surfing on waves of surfactant. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol.106 (No.43). pp. 18109-18113. doi:10.1073/pnas.0905890106 ISSN 0027-8424.
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0905890106
Abstract
The bacterium Bacillus subtilis produces the molecule surfactin, which is known to enhance the spreading of multicellular colonies on nutrient substrates by lowering the surface tension of the surrounding fluid, and to aid in the formation of aerial structures. Here we present experiments and a mathematical model that demonstrate how the differential accumulation rates induced by the geometry of the bacterial film give rise to surfactant waves. The spreading flux increases with increasing biofilm viscosity. Community associations are known to protect bacterial populations from environmental challenges such as predation, heat, or chemical stresses, and enable digestion of a broader range of nutritive sources. This study provides evidence of enhanced dispersal through cooperative motility, and points to nonintuitive methods for controlling the spread of biofilms.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
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Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Mathematics | ||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | ||||
Publisher: | National Academy of Sciences | ||||
ISSN: | 0027-8424 | ||||
Official Date: | 2009 | ||||
Dates: |
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Volume: | Vol.106 | ||||
Number: | No.43 | ||||
Page Range: | pp. 18109-18113 | ||||
DOI: | 10.1073/pnas.0905890106 | ||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||
Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access |
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