ArticleCell2021
Z-form extracellular DNA is a structural component of the bacterial biofilm matrix.
Article in Cell, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 112 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.
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.
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Who cites it
112 citing papers in PubMed, 198 citations in OpenAlex.
- Biological consequences of Z-nucleic acid sensing by ZBP1 and ADAR1.RNA biology · 2026Review
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- Phage-Antibiotic-Peptide Synergy Overcomes Biofilm-Mediated Multidrug Resistance inAntibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Imaging nucleic acids in biofilms.Essays in biochemistry · 2026Review
- Molecular Regulation of Biofilm Development inPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Article
- Identification of methylation-sensitive human transcription factors using meSMiLE-seq.Nature communications · 2026Article
- Binding specificity of IgG antibodies to mycobacterial DNA in plasmas of patients with tuberculosis and healthy controls.ImmunoHorizons · 2026Article
- Z-Nucleic Acids: A Regulator of Macrophage PANoptosis and Fungal Biofilm in Fungal Keratitis.Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · 2026Article
- Detecting extracellular G4 DNA motifs in biofilms through energy transfer between DNA-binding dyes TOTO™-1 and SYTO™60.Nucleic acids research · 2026Article
- Spermine suppressesmBio · 2026Article
- Biofilm-derived curli and Z-DNA shape anti-DNA antibody responses during Salmonella infections.PLoS pathogens · 2026Article
- Type I interferon signaling in hematopoietic cells impairs neutrophil antibacterial function in the middle ear during viral co-infection.Cell reports. Medicine · 2026Article
- Spermidine is a common component of the eDNA-dependent biofilm matrix.NPJ biofilms and microbiomes · 2026Article
- Near-infrared light-driven photocatalytic reactive oxygen species-generating antibacterial and self-shrinking hybrid hydrogels for combating drug-resistant bacterial biofilm infection and accelerating wound healing.Bioactive materials · 2026Article
- Chloroplast-to-apoplast relocalization of MOC1 strengthens plant vascular immunity.Horticulture research · 2026Article
- Staphylococcus aureus biofilm extracellular DNA neutralizes the antimicrobial activity of histone H3.NPJ biofilms and microbiomes · 2026Article
- Cryo-EM structures of anti Z-DNA antibodies in complex with antigen reveal distinct recognition modes of a left-handed geometry.Nucleic acids research · 2026Article
- A Triple-Modality Peptide-Antibiotic-Phage Therapy Eradicates Multidrug-ResistantbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Cinnamic-Hydroxamic-Acid Derivatives Exhibit Antibiotic, Anti-Biofilm, and Supercoiling Relaxation Properties by Targeting Bacterial Nucleoid-Associated Protein HU.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
52 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
14 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
Biofilms are community architectures adopted by bacteria inclusive of a self-formed extracellular matrix that protects resident bacteria from diverse environmental stresses and, in many species, incorporates extracellular DNA (eDNA) and DNABII proteins for structural integrity throughout biofilm development. Here, we present evidence that this eDNA-based architecture relies on the rare Z-form. Z-form DNA accumulates as biofilms mature and, through stabilization by the DNABII proteins, confers structural integrity to the biofilm matrix. Indeed, substances known to drive B-DNA into Z-DNA promoted biofilm formation whereas those that drive Z-DNA into B-DNA disrupted extant biofilms. Importantly, we demonstrated that the universal bacterial DNABII family of proteins stabilizes both bacterial- and host-eDNA in the Z-form in situ. A model is proposed that incorporates the role of Z-DNA in biofilm pathogenesis, innate immune response, and immune evasion.
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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.