Bacterial behavior at surfaces
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Updated: Oct 7, 2026

Monitoring Spatial Segregation in Surface Colonizing Microbial Populations
Published on: October 29, 2016
1Department of Microbiology and Center for Biofilm Engineering, PO Box 173520, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717-3520, USA. gill_g@erc.montana.edu
Abstract:
Population level studies demonstrate that bacterial colonization of surfaces and subsequent biofilm architecture are controlled by a variety of factors that include the hydrodynamics, surface chemistry and genotype of the cell. New molecular tools now extend our ability to investigate among bacterial cells within a surface-associated population subtle phenotypic differences that do not involve changes in genotype. Such resolution has led to new discoveries in relationships between bacterial cells and their environment.
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