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Journal ArticleDOI

Bacterial biofilms : A common cause of persistent infections

J. W. Costerton, +2 more
- 21 May 1999 - 
- Vol. 284, Iss: 5418, pp 1318-1322
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TLDR
Improvements in understanding of the genetic and molecular basis of bacterial community behavior point to therapeutic targets that may provide a means for the control of biofilm infections.
Abstract
Bacteria that attach to surfaces aggregate in a hydrated polymeric matrix of their own synthesis to form biofilms. Formation of these sessile communities and their inherent resistance to antimicrobial agents are at the root of many persistent and chronic bacterial infections. Studies of biofilms have revealed differentiated, structured groups of cells with community properties. Recent advances in our understanding of the genetic and molecular basis of bacterial community behavior point to therapeutic targets that may provide a means for the control of biofilm infections.

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Journal ArticleDOI

Biofilms: Survival Mechanisms of Clinically Relevant Microorganisms

TL;DR: It is understood that biofilms are universal, occurring in aquatic and industrial water systems as well as a large number of environments and medical devices relevant for public health, and that treatments may be based on inhibition of genes involved in cell attachment and biofilm formation.
Journal ArticleDOI

Antimicrobial peptides: pore formers or metabolic inhibitors in bacteria?

TL;DR: In this review the different models of antimicrobial-peptide-induced pore formation and cell killing are presented and several observations suggest that translocated peptides can alter cytoplasmic membrane septum formation, inhibit cell-wall synthesis, inhibit nucleic-acid synthesis, inhibits protein synthesis or inhibit enzymatic activity.
Journal ArticleDOI

Antibiotic resistance of bacteria in biofilms

TL;DR: The features of biofilm infections are summarized, the emerging mechanisms of resistance are reviewed, and potential therapies are discussed.
Journal ArticleDOI

Biofilm Formation as Microbial Development

TL;DR: The results reviewed in this article indicate that the formation of biofilms serves as a new model system for the study of microbial development.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

The involvement of cell-to-cell signals in the development of a bacterial biofilm

TL;DR: The involvement of an intercellular signal molecule in the development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms suggests possible targets to control biofilm growth on catheters, in cystic fibrosis, and in other environments where P. aerug inosaBiofilms are a persistent problem.
Journal ArticleDOI

Flagellar and twitching motility are necessary for Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm development

TL;DR: The isolation and characterization of mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 defective in the initiation of biofilm formation on an abiotic surface, polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastic are reported and evidence that microcolonies form by aggregation of cells present in the monolayer is presented.
Journal ArticleDOI

Quorum sensing in bacteria: the LuxR-LuxI family of cell density-responsive transcriptional regulators.

TL;DR: How the marine luminescent bacterium V. fischeri uses the LuxR and LuxI proteins for intercellular communication is reviewed and a newly discovered family of LuxRand LuxI homologs in diverse bacterial species is described.
Journal ArticleDOI

Molecular mechanisms of CFTR chloride channel dysfunction in cystic fibrosis

TL;DR: Cystic fibrosis is a regulated Cl- channel, for which structure-function relationships have begun to be established, and insight into the functions of individual domains has come from a number of studies.
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