Escherichia coli biofilms.
Escherichia coli is a predominant species among facultative anaerobic bacteria of the gastrointestinal tract. Both its frequent community lifestyle and the availability of a wide array of genetic tools contributed to establish E. coli as a relevant model organism for the study of surface colonization. Several key factors, including different extracellular appendages, are implicated in E. coli surface colonization and their expression and activity are finely regulated, both in space and time, to ensure productive events leading to mature biofilm formation. This chapter will present known molecular mechanisms underlying biofilm development in both commensal and pathogenic E. coli.
Beloin
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Groupe de Génétique des Biofilms, Institut Pasteur, CNRS URA 2172, 25 rue du Dr. Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
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Ghigo
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D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D048168:Escherichia coli K12 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans