biofilms

  1. What are biofilms
    • complex groups of many species growing on a solid surface
    • genetic diversity, metabolic diversity, metabolic interdependence
    • contain an extracellular matrix- glycocalyx- some sort of polysaccharide binds species together
  2. Formation of Biofilms
    • require coloinzing species which is followed by growth and diversity (matrix formation)
    • these colonizing organisms stick to surfaces, start to colonize and gain other to help them
    • form on submerged surfaces (wet surfaces)
    • cell division and recuitment: metabolic transition: quorum sensing- individual cell knows its surrounded by a bunch of other cells so it changes its metabolic activity and what it does
  3. Examples of biofilms
    • Dental plaque
    • Prosthetics
    • Resident foreign materials: pacemakers, catheters
    • Wounds
    • Primary environmental surfaces:Rocks, ship hulls, submarine equipment
  4. Steps of Biofilms (dental plaque)
    • 1. Attachment- A few species attach- do not produce a gylcocaylyx
    • 2. Initial colonization- Form a gylcocaylyx
    • 3. Secondary colonization- Gets bigger
    • 4. Mature Biofilms- Very complex architecture, aerobic organisms on top, anaerobic in the middle, circulation of liquid all around the biofilm
  5. Quorum Sensing
    • Genetic and metabolic changes
    • dependent on cell density
    • pigment production
    • drug resistance
    • Physical- growth in a matrix prevents drugs from getting there
    • Metabolic- drug resistance is produced as a result of cell density
    • Toxin formation
    • Matrix production
Author
athederan
ID
20527
Card Set
biofilms
Description
final review
Updated