Dispersal of biofilms by secreted, matrix degrading, bacterial DNase.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Nijland R
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3001887 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Dispersal of biofilms by secreted, matrix degrading, bacterial DNase.
Nijland Reindert R Hall Michael J MJ Burgess J Grant JG
PloS one 20101214 12
Microbial biofilms are composed of a hydrated matrix of biopolymers including polypeptides, polysaccharides and nucleic acids and act as a protective barrier and microenvironment for the inhabiting microbes. While studying marine biofilms, we observed that supernatant produced by a marine isolate of Bacillus licheniformis was capable of dispersing bacterial biofilms. We investigated the source of this activity and identified the active compound as an extracellular DNase (NucB). We have shown tha ...[more]
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