ArticleMolecular microbiology2013
When the swimming gets tough, the tough form a biofilm.
Article in Molecular microbiology, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed, 39 citations in OpenAlex.
- Proteomic Evidence for Biofilm-Mediated Copper Stress Adaptation in Oleidesulfovibrio alaskensis G20.Environmental microbiology · 2026Article
- Cell Adhesion and Biofilm Development via Force-Sensitive Mechanisms: A Perspective.ACS biomaterials science & engineering · 2026Review
- The Influence of Lipopolysaccharide O-Antigen Chain Length on Biofilm Formation Capacity and Outer Membrane Proteome Shape of Salmonella Enteritidis.Environmental microbiology reports · 2025Article
- Citrate Supplementation Modulates Medium Viscosity and Poly-γ-Glutamic Acid Synthesis by EngineeredEngineering in life sciences · 2025Article
- Effect of free liquid layer quantity on bacteria and protein adhesion to liquid infused polymers.Biointerphases · 2024Article
- Characterization of tryptanthrin as an antibacterial reagent inhibiting Vibrio splendidus.Applied microbiology and biotechnology · 2024Article
- Emerging Approaches for Mitigating Biofilm-Formation-Associated Infections in Farm, Wild, and Companion Animals.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Genome-wide analysis reveals a rhamnolipid-dependent modulation of flagellar genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.Current genetics · 2022Article
- Flagellin lysine methyltransferase FliB catalyzes a [4Fe-4S] mediated methyl transfer reaction.PLoS pathogens · 2021Article
- Deletion of Rap-Phr systems in Bacillus subtilis influences in vitro biofilm formation and plant root colonization.MicrobiologyOpen · 2021Article
- Time-series transcriptomics from cold, oxic subseafloor crustal fluids reveals a motile, mixotrophic microbial community.The ISME journal · 2021Article
- The Dynamic Ion Motive Force Powering the Bacterial Flagellar Motor.Frontiers in microbiology · 2021Review
- How bacteria recognise and respond to surface contact.FEMS microbiology reviews · 2020Review
- Structural changes of bacterial nanocellulose pellicles induced by genetic modification of Komagataeibacter hansenii ATCC 23769.Applied microbiology and biotechnology · 2019Article
- Surface Sensing for Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1 Flagellar Gene Expression on Solid Medium.Applied and environmental microbiology · 2017Article
- Recent advances and future prospects in bacterial and archaeal locomotion and signal transduction.Journal of bacteriology · 2017Article
- Bacterial flagellar motility on hydrated rough surfaces controlled by aqueous film thickness and connectedness.Scientific reports · 2016Article
- Diversification of Gene Expression during Formation of Static Submerged Biofilms byFrontiers in microbiology · 2016Article
- Article
- Loss of FliL alters Proteus mirabilis surface sensing and temperature-dependent swarming.Journal of bacteriology · 2015Article
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Authors and funding
1 author at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Bacteria live either as independent planktonic cells or as members of surface-attached communities called biofilms. Motility and biofilm development are mutually exclusive events, and control of the phase of this 'swim-or-stick' switch involves the ability of the bacterium to sense and respond appropriately to a surface. Cairns et al. (2013) report that the Bacillus subtilis flagellum functions in surface-sensing. Using mutants of B. subtilis that prevent flagellum rotation, they measured the expression and activity of DegU, the response regulator of the two-component DegS-DegU circuit. DegU activity and degU transcription increased when flagellum rotation was prevented, and were dependent on the DegS kinase. Inhibiting flagellar rotation by overexpressing the EpsE flagellar 'clutch' or addition of anti-flagellin antiserum also increased degU transcription and activity. These results suggest B. subtilis senses restriction of flagellum rotation as the cell nears a surface. Inhibition of the flagellum activates the DegS-DegU circuit to turn on biofilm formation, i.e. the flagellum is acting as a mechanosensor of surfaces. B. subtilis joins an ever-expanding group of bacteria, including species of Vibrio, Proteus and Caulobacter that use the flagellum as a surface sensor.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.