structural heterogeneity
- Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary SciencePrivatization of Biofilm Matrix in Structurally Heterogeneous Biofilms
Biofilms are communities of bacteria protected by a self-produced extracellular matrix. The detrimental effects of nonproducing individuals on biofilm development raise questions about the dynamics between community members, especially when isogenic nonproducers exist within wild-type populations. We asked ourselves whether phenotypic nonproducers impact biofilm robustness, and where and when this heterogeneity of matrix gene expression...