OCEAN 497 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Antibody, Quorum Sensing, Biofilm
Document Summary
Can form on any surface - organic or inorganic. Can be single-species or complex communities involving all three domains of life (individual vs collective) Produce and maintain complex gradients (redox, nutrients) Rely on quorum sensing (chemical signaling to develop complex biofilm structures and social behavior (primed) Increase incidence of horizontal gene transfer resulting in physiological diversity (more accessory genes) Can resist predators, antibiotics, antibodies (guard against future threats) Survive and grow at high temperatures (are biofilms ancient ocean memory?) Biofilm microbes exploit elaborate systems of intercellular communication to facilitate their adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Bacterial language takes the form of chemical signals released by the cells, often called. Chemical signals elicit a variety of physiological responses. The physiological process controlled by the signaling chemical depends on cell density (quorum sensing) and thus often on growth phase and stress responses.
