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Appl. Environ. Microbiol., Aug 1997, 3158-3163, Vol 63, No. 8
Copyright © 1997, American Society for Microbiology

Stress-Induced Production of Biofilm in the Hyperthermophile Archaeoglobus fulgidus

C Lapaglia and PL Hartzell
Department of Microbiology, Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho 83844-3052

Archaeoglobus fulgidus, an anaerobic marine hyperthermophile, forms a biofilm in response to environmental stresses. The biofilm is a heterogeneous, morphologically variable structure containing protein, polysaccharide, and metals. Production of the biofilm can be induced by nonphysiological extremes of pH and temperature, by high concentrations of metals, and by addition of antibiotics, xenobiotics, or oxygen. Cells within the biofilm show an increased tolerance to otherwise toxic environmental conditions. Metals sequestered within the biofilm stimulate growth of A. fulgidus cells in metal-depleted medium. These data suggest that cells may produce biofilm as a mechanism for concentrating cells and attaching to surfaces, as a protective barrier, and as a reserve nutrient. Because similar biofilms are formed by Archaeoglobus profundus, Methanococcus jannaschii, and Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, biofilm formation might be a common stress response mechanism among the archaea.


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Copyright © 1997 by the American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.