Environmental triggers for dispersal of Vibrio cholerae biofilms (E07*)

• Subject Area: Metabolism, Biochemistry and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Term: from 2016 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 192445154

Many bacterial species colonize surfaces and form dense three-dimensional structures, known as biofilms, which are highly tolerant to antibiotics. The lifecycle of a biofilm includes cell-to-surface-attachment, growth into multicellular cell clusters, and dispersal back into the surrounding environment. Using Vibrio cholerae as a model system, we will investigate the triggers and mechanisms that underlie biofilm dispersal, by combining methods from optics and physics with molecular biology.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 987: Microbial Diversity in Environmental Signal Response
• Applicant Institution: Philipps-Universität Marburg
• Project Head: Professor Knut Drescher, Ph.D.