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Consensus model of biofilm structure

Consensus model of biofilm structure
Consensus model of biofilm structure
Biofilms have been defined in various ways by various researchers. The definition is usually structured to be all inclusive of the many environments that biofilms are found and disciplines that the subject covers. Characklis and Marshall (1990) define a biofilm as consisting of “cells immobilized at a substratum and frequently embedded in an organic polymer matrix of microbial origin”. A broader definition is supplied by Costerton et al. (1995) who defined biofilms as “matrix-enclosed bacterial populations adherent to each other and/or to surfaces or interfaces”. It might be easiest to define biofilms in terms of what they are not - single cells homogeneously dispersed in fluid, the well mixed batch culture of which much of contemporary microbiology is based. Structural organisation is a characteristic feature of biofilms which distinguishes biofilm cultures from conventional suspended cultures, with or without an association with an interface. Biofilm structure is a recurrent topic of discussion among biofilm researchers generally and has been featured in a number of presentations at the first two British Biofilm Club Gregynog meetings. Much discussion time has been spent in search of a “universal” conceptual biofilm model describing biofilm structure (Handley 1995). The existence of such a model is appealing but given the enormous diversity of biofilms is it possible to characterise all biofilms with a single conceptual model? And if we do agree on a working model how useful will such a model be? Possibly we should not restrict a biofilm model to certain structural constraints but instead look for common features or basic building blocks of biofilms which could be readily incorporated into different structural models in a modular fashion.
0952043254
1-9
Stoodley, Paul
08614665-92a9-4466-806e-20c6daeb483f
Boyle, John D.
3c52d3c4-d167-4a83-a523-b1541f8d3d18
Dodds, Ian
85855844-52ba-4fd8-92a8-cb6d25288686
Lappin-Scott, Hilary M.
cd37bee1-c501-44fa-8fe1-ceaf6bbeb0e1
Wimpenny, J.W.T.
Handley, P.S.
Gilbert, P.
Lappin-Scott, H.M.
Jones, M.
Stoodley, Paul
08614665-92a9-4466-806e-20c6daeb483f
Boyle, John D.
3c52d3c4-d167-4a83-a523-b1541f8d3d18
Dodds, Ian
85855844-52ba-4fd8-92a8-cb6d25288686
Lappin-Scott, Hilary M.
cd37bee1-c501-44fa-8fe1-ceaf6bbeb0e1
Wimpenny, J.W.T.
Handley, P.S.
Gilbert, P.
Lappin-Scott, H.M.
Jones, M.

Stoodley, Paul, Boyle, John D., Dodds, Ian and Lappin-Scott, Hilary M. (1997) Consensus model of biofilm structure. In, Wimpenny, J.W.T., Handley, P.S., Gilbert, P., Lappin-Scott, H.M. and Jones, M. (eds.) Biofilms: Community Interactions and Control: 3rd meeting of the Biofilm Club. pp. 1-9.

Record type: Book Section

Abstract

Biofilms have been defined in various ways by various researchers. The definition is usually structured to be all inclusive of the many environments that biofilms are found and disciplines that the subject covers. Characklis and Marshall (1990) define a biofilm as consisting of “cells immobilized at a substratum and frequently embedded in an organic polymer matrix of microbial origin”. A broader definition is supplied by Costerton et al. (1995) who defined biofilms as “matrix-enclosed bacterial populations adherent to each other and/or to surfaces or interfaces”. It might be easiest to define biofilms in terms of what they are not - single cells homogeneously dispersed in fluid, the well mixed batch culture of which much of contemporary microbiology is based. Structural organisation is a characteristic feature of biofilms which distinguishes biofilm cultures from conventional suspended cultures, with or without an association with an interface. Biofilm structure is a recurrent topic of discussion among biofilm researchers generally and has been featured in a number of presentations at the first two British Biofilm Club Gregynog meetings. Much discussion time has been spent in search of a “universal” conceptual biofilm model describing biofilm structure (Handley 1995). The existence of such a model is appealing but given the enormous diversity of biofilms is it possible to characterise all biofilms with a single conceptual model? And if we do agree on a working model how useful will such a model be? Possibly we should not restrict a biofilm model to certain structural constraints but instead look for common features or basic building blocks of biofilms which could be readily incorporated into different structural models in a modular fashion.

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Published date: 1997
Organisations: Engineering Mats & Surface Engineerg Gp

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 157629
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/157629
ISBN: 0952043254
PURE UUID: e4a655f5-5c23-436f-9c41-d32860b22054
ORCID for Paul Stoodley: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6069-273X

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Date deposited: 16 Jun 2010 10:34
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:55

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Contributors

Author: Paul Stoodley ORCID iD
Author: John D. Boyle
Author: Ian Dodds
Author: Hilary M. Lappin-Scott
Editor: J.W.T. Wimpenny
Editor: P.S. Handley
Editor: P. Gilbert
Editor: H.M. Lappin-Scott
Editor: M. Jones

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