Browsing by Author "Weyers Jakobus Barnad"

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    Isolation and characterization of attachment-induced regulatory elements in Pseudomonas aeruginosa P AOI
    (University of the Western Cape, 2024) Weyers Jakobus Barnad; Brozel V. S.
    Bacteria exhibit a remarkable tendency to attached to biological (biotic) and abiological (dead) surfaces (Zobell. 1943). This tendency of bacteria to interact with surfaces appears to be increased or amplified under certain "stress" conditions. Environmental conditions implicated in promoting bacterial attachment and biofilm growth include nutrient limitation or starvation, increased osmolarity, membrane perturbation, and harmful chemicals (Costerton et al. , 1987; Marshall, 1992). In addition to environmental condition that enhance bacterial attachment. The interaction of bacteria with biotic surfaces appears to be very complex due to the interaction of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell surface receptors with the host cell, and would therefore be very specific (Hoepelman and Tuomanen. 1992). The current body of data suggests that bacteria attach to surfaces under environmental ··stress·' conditions in order to cope better with the harsh environmental conditions. Attached bacteria would, therefore, have advantages over their planktonic counterparts during growth under environmental stress conditions. This is evident from reports stating that biofilms constitute major self purification systems with the abi lity to minimize the build-up of pollutants, transform inorganic compounds and biodegrade organic compounds (Marshall. 1992). Bacteria in biofilms are generally much more resistant to biocides and antibiotics than are their planktonic counterparts (Costerton et al., 1987). Attached bacteria have a protection barrier against phagocytosis, bacteriophages. antibiotics. biocides. surfactants and antibodies (Costerton et al .. 1995; Dooley and Trust, 1988; Sleyter and Messner, 1983).