Brandl Bachofen
Fakultäten » Mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät » Evolutionsbiologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Institut für » Ecology & Environment » PD Dr. Helmut Brandl » Brandl Bachofen
Completed research project
| Title / Titel | Physiological regulation of microbial biofilm formation on solid surfaces by cellular signalling compounds | ||||||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||||||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | Nutrient-rich aquatic environments and large surfaces common to many industrial processes (e.g. paper production, food processing) stimulate the formation of microbial biofilms. They develop on wet surfaces of solid materials such as metals, concrete, plastics, wood, or tissues. As a consequence of the bacterial metabolism, corrosion and biofouling will start and eventually destroy the material resulting in large economic losses or in restoration costs. Signal compounds of the acyl homoserine lactone family acting as autoinducers have proved to play important roles in controlling the microbial metabolism at high cell densities ("quorum sensing") resulting in physiological reactions such as e.g. luminescense, antibiotics formation, or exopolysaccharide formation. These compounds seem to have a great importance in biofilm formation and may become a potent tool in future to externally control biofilms and thus prevent their damages. It is therefore of interest to investigate (i) the structural and organismic composition of biofilms; (ii) the regulation of microbial growth and metabolism in biofilms; (iii) the role of cellular signalling compounds on biofilm formation; (iv) the manipulation and control of biofilm formation. | ||||||
| Publications / Publikationen | Martinelli D., Schenk A., Bachofen R., Brandl H. (1999) Physiological regulation of microbial biofilm formation on solid surfaces by cellular signalling compounds. Proceedings of the Second COST 520 Wokshop, Sion, June 9-12, pp. 83-86Martinelli D., Bachofen R., Brandl H. (2002) Effect of medium composition, flow rate, and signaling compounds on the formation of soluble extracellular materials by biofilms of Chromobacterium violaceum. Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology 59:278-283Martinelli D., Grossmann G., Brandl H., Séquin U., Bachofen R. (2004) Effects of furanones on quorum sensing reactions in Chromobacterium violaceum. BMC Microbiology 4:25 (online http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1471-2180-4-25.pdf) |
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| Keywords / Suchbegriffe | biofilms, signalling compounds, quorum sensing, autoinducers, AHL, acyl homoserine lactones, exopolysaccharides, regulation, microorganisms | ||||||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
EU COST |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | Oct 1998 to Apr 2002 |