Macromolecule Transport Mechanisms In Bacterial Biofilms

细菌可以附着在生物和非生物的表面 在那里它们可以产生大量的细胞外 聚合物材料。 这种材料形成聚合物凝胶 基质称为生物膜。 主要研究者（PI） 建议更好地了解 控制生物膜形成、持久性和 性能 这将包括确定 聚合物凝胶基质的特性作为以下的函数： 细菌种类和主要生长条件，以及 生物膜胞外聚合物凝胶的评价 特定大分子质量传递中的基质 (e.g.抗生素，细菌产生的色素， 染色体和质粒DNA）。

Bacteria can stick to both living and inanimate surfaces where they can produce copious amounts of an extracellular polymeric material. This material forms a polymer gel matrix termed a biofilm. The Principal Investigator (PI) proposes to develop a better understanding of the mechanisms that govern biofilm formation, persistence, and performance. This will include the determination of the characteristics of the polymer gel matrix as a function of bacterial species and prevailing growth conditions, and the assessment of the biofilm extracellular polymer gel matrix in the mass transport of specific macromolecules (e.g. antibiotics, bacterially-produced pigments, chromosomal- and plasmid-DNA).