Projects per year
Abstract
The extracellular matrix of biofilms provides crucial structural support to the community and protection from environmental perturbations. TasA, a key Bacillus subtilis biofilm matrix protein, forms both amyloid and non-amyloid fibrils. Non-amyloid TasA fibrils are formed via a strand-exchange mechanism, whereas the amyloid-like form involves non- specific self-assembly. We performed mutagenesis of the N-terminus to assess the role of non-amyloid fibrils in biofilm development. We find that the N-terminal tail is essential for the formation of structured biofilms, providing evidence that the strand- exchange fibrils are the active form in the biofilm matrix. Furthermore, we demonstrate that fibre formation alone is not sufficient to give structure to the biofilm. We build an interactome of TasA with other extracellular protein components, and identify important interaction sites. Our results provide insight into how protein-matrix interactions modulate biofilm development.
Original language | English |
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Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Molecular Microbiology |
Early online date | 30 Sept 2024 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 15 Oct 2024 |
Keywords
- biofilms
- TasA
- extracellular matrix
- Bacillus subtilis
- protein interactome
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Dive into the research topics of 'TasA fibre interactions are necessary for Bacillus subtilis biofilm structure'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 4 Finished
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Deconstructing a Biofilm - Self-Assembly of Bacterial Protein Fibres
Bamford, N. (Investigator)
1/07/20 → 31/08/22
Project: Research
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IKC Biofilms (Collaboration with University of Southampton via University of Edinburgh)
Stanley-Wall, N. (Investigator)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
1/12/17 → 30/11/22
Project: Research
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Genetic and Chemical Validation of Sugar Nucleotide Biosynthesis as a Target Against Candida Albicans (Joint with University of Aberdeen)
van Aalten, D. (Investigator)
1/03/17 → 1/03/23
Project: Research