Spatial structure, cooperation and competition in biofilms.

Biofilm formation, in which cells form matrix-enclosed communities, is a major mode of microbial life. The study of biofilms has revealed vast complexity both in terms of their resident species composition and phenotypic diversity. Despite this complexity, theoretical and experimental work in the pa...

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Main Authors: Nadell, C, Drescher, K, Foster, K
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2016
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author Nadell, C
Drescher, K
Foster, K
author_facet Nadell, C
Drescher, K
Foster, K
author_sort Nadell, C
collection OXFORD
description Biofilm formation, in which cells form matrix-enclosed communities, is a major mode of microbial life. The study of biofilms has revealed vast complexity both in terms of their resident species composition and phenotypic diversity. Despite this complexity, theoretical and experimental work in the past decade has identified common principles for understanding microbial biofilms. In this Review, we discuss how the spatial arrangement of genotypes within a community influences the cooperative and competitive cell-cell interactions that define biofilm form and function. Furthermore, we argue that a perspective rooted in ecology and evolution is fundamental to progress in microbiology.
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spelling oxford-uuid:aeef8caa-f4e6-4352-bd0d-d98c403c27102022-03-27T03:46:14ZSpatial structure, cooperation and competition in biofilms.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:aeef8caa-f4e6-4352-bd0d-d98c403c2710EnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordNature Publishing Group2016Nadell, CDrescher, KFoster, KBiofilm formation, in which cells form matrix-enclosed communities, is a major mode of microbial life. The study of biofilms has revealed vast complexity both in terms of their resident species composition and phenotypic diversity. Despite this complexity, theoretical and experimental work in the past decade has identified common principles for understanding microbial biofilms. In this Review, we discuss how the spatial arrangement of genotypes within a community influences the cooperative and competitive cell-cell interactions that define biofilm form and function. Furthermore, we argue that a perspective rooted in ecology and evolution is fundamental to progress in microbiology.
spellingShingle Nadell, C
Drescher, K
Foster, K
Spatial structure, cooperation and competition in biofilms.
title Spatial structure, cooperation and competition in biofilms.
title_full Spatial structure, cooperation and competition in biofilms.
title_fullStr Spatial structure, cooperation and competition in biofilms.
title_full_unstemmed Spatial structure, cooperation and competition in biofilms.
title_short Spatial structure, cooperation and competition in biofilms.
title_sort spatial structure cooperation and competition in biofilms
work_keys_str_mv AT nadellc spatialstructurecooperationandcompetitioninbiofilms
AT drescherk spatialstructurecooperationandcompetitioninbiofilms
AT fosterk spatialstructurecooperationandcompetitioninbiofilms