Biofilm与c-di-GMP专刊序言——微生物的社会性、c-di-GMP调控及研究新技术

Preface for special issue on biofilm and c-di-GMP——Microbial society, c-di-GMP regulation, and new research techniques

摘要:

生物被膜 (Biofilm) 是微生物生存的主要形式。一种或多种微生物通过胞外多糖、胞外DNA、蛋白质等组成的基质聚集在一起形成生物被膜。生物被膜中的微生物细胞之间存在密切的信号通讯，并且表现出与营浮游生活时完全不同的生理代谢特征，其发育过程受到细胞第二信使环二鸟苷单磷酸 (c-di-GMP) 等的控制。由于生物被膜在基础生命科学和在医疗、工业、农业、环境治理等应用科学中的重要性，相关研究是微生物学领域的前沿之一。本期专刊从生物工程、研究技术、感染与免疫、环境生物学和植物病理学等角度，较系统地对生物被膜的形成机制、调控分子机理、理化特性和应用技术等进行了综述或研究，展示了我国在本领域的研究水平，同时也对本领域未来发展趋势进行了有益的讨论。

Abstract:

Biofilm is the dominant lifestyle of microbes in various ecological niches. A group of microorganisms form biofilms through sticking each other by extracellular polymeric substances consisting of polysaccharides, extracellular DNA, and proteins. When living in biofilms, the microbial cells employ small chemicals as “language” to communicate mutually, and exhibit remarkable differences in physiology compared to those live as planktonic state. It has been proved that the development of biofilm is subject to the regulation of c-di-GMP, an important second messenger found in prokaryotes. Considering the essential roles of biofilms in microbial infection, industry, plant-microbe interactions and administration of polluted environments, it is one of the state-of-art areas in microbiology. This special issue of “Biofilm and c-di-GMP” systematically reviews the current progress in the multiple research frontiers, including biotechnology, infectious diseases, environmental microbiology and plant pathology, with special reference to the application of novel study skills. We hope that the issue will inspire the new-generation of young scientists to enter this exciting area.