Possible nonconductive role of Geobacter sulfurreducens pilus nanowires in biofilm formation.
Geobacter sulfurreducens required expression of electrically conductive pili to form biofilms on Fe(III) oxide surfaces, but pili were also essential for biofilm development on plain glass when fumarate was the sole electron acceptor. Furthermore, pili were needed for cell aggregation in agglutination studies. These results suggest that the pili of G. sulfurreducens also have a structural role in biofilm formation.
Reguera
Gemma
G
Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA. reguera@msu.edu
Pollina
Rachael B
RB
Nicoll
Julie S
JS
Lovley
Derek R
DR
D000371:Agglutination; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D004579:Electron Transport; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D045302:Geobacter / Q000502:physiology*
D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide