IECB (Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie), Bordeaux
Bacterial biofilms are a prevalent multicellular life form in which individual members can undergo significant functional differentiation and are typically embedded in complex extracellular matrix of proteinaceous fimbriae, extracellular DNA and exopolysaccharides (EPS). Bacteria have evolved at least four major mechanisms for EPS biosynthesis, of which the synthase-dependent systems for bacterial cellulose secretion (Bcs) represent not only key biofilm determinants in a wide array of environmental, endosymbiotic and pathogenic microbes, but also an important model system for the studies of processive glycan polymerization, c-di-GMP-dependent synthase regulation and biotechnological polymer applications. The secreted cellulosic chains can be decorated with additional chemical groups to provide for specific interactions with other biofilm- or host-derived extracellular components or can pack with various degrees of crystallinity depending on dedicated enzymatic complexes and/or cytoskeletal scaffolds. Here I will present recent progress in our understanding of synthase-dependent EPS biogenesis with focus on common and idiosyncratic molecular mechanisms across diverse cellulose secretion systems.
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The organization of this seminar is supported by the SFR-B2S Federation.
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