A molecular clutch disables flagella in the Bacillus subtilis biofilm
A molecular clutch disables flagella in the Bacillus subtilis biofilm
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DOI：
10.1126/science.1157877
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发表时间：
2008-06-20
期刊：
影响因子：
56.9
通讯作者：
Kearns, Daniel B.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Blair, Kris M.;Turner, Linda;Kearns, Daniel B.
生物膜是由细胞外基质包裹的固定细菌的多细胞聚集体，在医学上作为耐药微生物的来源是重要的。在枯草芽孢杆菌中，我们发现生物膜基质生物合成所需的操纵子也编码一种运动抑制剂EpsE。EpsE通过分离嵌入在生物膜基质中的细胞中的动力产生元件，以类似于离合器的方式阻止鞭毛旋转。离合器是一种简单、快速、潜在可逆的运动控制形式。
Biofilms are multicellular aggregates of sessile bacteria encased by an extracellular matrix and are important medically as a source of drug- resistant microbes. In Bacillus subtilis, we found that an operon required for biofilm matrix biosynthesis also encoded an inhibitor of motility, EpsE. EpsE arrested flagellar rotation in a manner similar to that of a clutch, by disengaging motor force-generating elements in cells embedded in the biofilm matrix. The clutch is a simple, rapid, and potentially reversible form of motility control.