Physiological responses induced in bacteria adhering to surfaces

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In an attempt to demonstrate a wide range of physiological responses in bacteria attached to surfaces, transposon mutagenesis has been employed to insert into appropriate recipient bacteria a marker gene that lacks its own promoter element. If a suitable target gene is “switched on”; at a surface, then expression of the marker gene should be observed only with growth in the presence of a surface, not in liquid or on agar media. Using Escherichia coli C600 (pRK.2013:: mini‐MuTetr lacZ) as donor organism and either of the marine bacteria Deleya marina (Rif') or Pseudomonas S9 (Smr) as recipients, transposition mutants have been selected, on agar media containing appropriate antibiotics plus X‐gal, that either do or do not express β‐galactosidase. Tests on a large number of Lac”; phenotypes (when grown on agar) have revealed a mutant in which the lacZ gene is “switched on”; only at a surface: These studies will be extended to determine which target genes are affected and the mechanism(s) of the switching process.