15 Flashcards
How could microbes be so diverse?
They work as multicellular units
When a biofilm forms, steps?
Surface and then become irreversibly attached. Growth and cell division occurs and then the production of EPS and formation of water channels.
Nutrient aquisition in microbes?
Iron is limiting but is essential. A lot use siderophores (iron carrier) in which there is a host iron transporter.
siderophores (molecules) do what?
They scavenge iron from the host using mostly pyoverdines.
The chelate effect?
There is this binding to the iron molecule because of the three major groups, chromophore, peptide, cyclic peptide.
Not all cells produce pyoverdine. They are known as?
Cheaters
Why do some cells prefer not to produce pyoverdine?
Because they are costly to synthesize
If there are a lot of iron, is pyoverdine important?
No, thus cheaters do better.
If there is global competition and high relatedness, do these cells produce or not produce pyoverdine?
Produce
If local competition and low relatedness, do these cells produce pyoverdine?
No
Pyoverdine production is related to what type of selection?
Kin selection
If the competition is more local, they are more likely to cheat or less likely?
More likely
How do bacteria know if there are enough cells to make a biofilm?
Quorum sensing is a way for bacteria to sense each other (cell density) by altering gene expression
