title: Now playing: farnesol in the biofilm.
abstract: The evolutionary pathway of specialized metabolism often takes unexpected, perplexing turns. In this issue of Chemistry & Biology, Feng and coworkers provide evidence for a unique phosphatase whose enzymatic product plays a critical role in biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA. Electronic address: chappell@uky.edu.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chappell
mesh_terms: D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000502:physiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases