TABLE 1.
Common biofilm components produced by E. coli but not S. flexneri
| Component | Function(s) (reference) |
|---|---|
| Exopolysaccharides | |
| Cellulose | Interaction with other biofilm components such as curli and flagella that leads to robust architecture and tissue-like property of macrocolonies (70) |
| Integrity of pellicle-type biofilm at air-liquid interface (71) | |
| Interaction with curli, encapsulating bacterial cells in a strong shell-like architecture (72) | |
| Poly-N-acetylglucosamine | Abiotic surface attachment, cell aggregation, and subsequent biofilm development (73) |
| Colanic acid | Structural development at later stages of biofilm formation (74) |
| Capsule | Aggregation leading to development of biofilm-like communities in host cells (75) |
| Proteinaceous structures | |
| Flagella | Initial surface contact and early expansion of biofilm (76) |
| Motility required for pellicle-type biofilm formation at air-liquid interface (71) | |
| Curli fibers | Essential structural element of pellicle-type biofilms at air-liquid interface (71) |
| Essential structural component of macrocolonies on agar surface (77) | |
| Interaction with cellulose, encapsulating bacterial cells in a strong shell-like architecture (72) | |
| Type 1 fimbriae | Initial surface attachment (76) |
| Integrity of pellicle-type biofilm at air-liquid interface (71) | |
| Formation of biofilm-like communities in host cells (78) | |
| Type IV pilus | Microcolony development on abiotic surface under static growth and bacterial aggregation under flow (79) |