An autoinduction system in organismA only forms biofilm when

An autoinduction system in organismA only forms biofilm when it is in high cell density and organismB is also present in high cell density.

a) How many autoinduction molecules do you expect to find in this system and which organism(s) produce(s) it(them)?

b) You find that the autoinducer(s) regulates biofilm formation at the transcriptional level. Which one of the following types of autoinducer molecules is likely to be involved. Why?

Homoserine lactones
Polypeptides
Polysaccharides
Polynucleotides

c) After the formation of this co-species biofilm, you wash out the chlorobiphenyl medium and give it glucose as a food source. When you do so, you see that the two species physically seperate from each other. Explain why they do this.

Solution

a)

b)

c)