ReviewMicrobiology spectrum2015
Bacterial Extracellular Polysaccharides in Biofilm Formation and Function.
Review in Microbiology spectrum, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 397 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
The trial behind it
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
397 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Evolutionary dynamics and research hotspots of phage applications againstFrontiers in microbiology · 2026Pooled it
- Biofilm Formation on Endotracheal and Tracheostomy Tubing: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Culture Data and Sampling Method.MicrobiologyOpen · 2025Pooled it
- Bacterial cell envelope components of gut commensals: effects in host-microbe interaction.Annals of medicine · 2026Review
- Article
- The biliary microbiome in symptomatic cholelithiasis: a prospective comparison across distinct bacterial niches.BMC microbiology · 2026Observational
- The role of extracellular DNA inJournal of bacteriology · 2026Review
- The conserved Pss exopolysaccharide is a common component ofJournal of bacteriology · 2026Article
- Biochemical and Structural Characterization of Two-domain Glycoside Hydrolase PgaB fromACS infectious diseases · 2026Article
- Biofilm-forming traits enrich the plasmid diversity and functional potential in particle-attached bacteria in coastal ecosystems.Microbiology spectrum · 2026Article
- Clinical Significance of Intestinal Fungal Overgrowth: Integrating the Gut Mycobiome into Modern Gastroenterology.Microorganisms · 2026Review
- Carboxymethylated β-glucan from Pichia kudriavzevii M16: structural characterization and multifunctional bioactivity.Folia microbiologica · 2026Article
- Medicinal Plants: A Promising Therapeutic Approach for Addressing Antimicrobial Resistance.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Trigger Factor inJournal of bacteriology · 2026Article
- Detection to Disruption: A Comprehensive Review of Bacterial Biofilms and Therapeutic Advances.Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Antimicrobial efficacy ofMicrobiology spectrum · 2026Article
- A murine sinonasal infection model recapitulates key features of clinical chronic rhinosinusitis.Journal of medical microbiology · 2026Article
- Antimicrobial peptides-based strategies at the frontline in battling the escalating menace of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilms.European journal of microbiology & immunology · 2026Review
- Combining Yeast Display and Bacterial Genomic Library for the Unbiased Isolation of Novel Polysaccharide-Binding Peptides.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- Species-specific discrimination of bacterial biofilms using a ratiometric fluorescence sensor array and machine learning.Sensors & diagnostics · 2026Article
- Anti-quorum, anti biofilm activity of FDA approved drugs against P. aeruginosa: in silico and in vitro studies.Biotechnology letters · 2026Article
337 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Microbes produce a biofilm matrix consisting of proteins, extracellular DNA, and polysaccharides that is integral in the formation of bacterial communities. Historical studies of polysaccharides revealed that their overproduction often alters the colony morphology and can be diagnostic in identifying certain species. The polysaccharide component of the matrix can provide many diverse benefits to the cells in the biofilm, including adhesion, protection, and structure. Aggregative polysaccharides act as molecular glue, allowing the bacterial cells to adhere to each other as well as surfaces. Adhesion facilitates the colonization of both biotic and abiotic surfaces by allowing the bacteria to resist physical stresses imposed by fluid movement that could separate the cells from a nutrient source. Polysaccharides can also provide protection from a wide range of stresses, such as desiccation, immune effectors, and predators such as phagocytic cells and amoebae. Finally, polysaccharides can provide structure to biofilms, allowing stratification of the bacterial community and establishing gradients of nutrients and waste products. This can be advantageous for the bacteria by establishing a heterogeneous population that is prepared to endure stresses created by the rapidly changing environments that many bacteria encounter. The diverse range of polysaccharide structures, properties, and roles highlight the importance of this matrix constituent to the successful adaptation of bacteria to nearly every niche. Here, we present an overview of the current knowledge regarding the diversity and benefits that polysaccharide production provides to bacterial communities within biofilms.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.