THE INVOLVEMENT OF CELL-TO-CELL SIGNALS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BACTERIAL BIOFILM

Bacteria in nature often exist as sessile communities called biofilms. These communities develop structures that are morphologically and phy siologically differentiated from free-living bacteria. A cell-to-cell signal is involved in the development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofil ms. A specific signaling mutant, a lasl mutant, forms flat, undifferen tiated biofilms that unlike wild-type biofilms are sensitive to the bi ocide sodium dodecyl sulfate, Mutant biofilms appeared normal when gro wn in the presence of a synthetic signal molecule. The involvement of an intercellular signal molecule in the development of P. aeruginosa b iofilms suggests possible targets to control biofilm growth on cathete rs, in cystic fibrosis, and in other environments where P. aeruginosa biofilms are a persistent problem.