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What is the function of glycocalyces and fimbriae in forming a biofilm?
10. Dynamics of Microbial Growth
Biofilms
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What intercellular signaling method do bacterial cells within a biofilm use to understand their own population density?
A
Quorum sensing.
B
EPS sensing.
C
Dispersal sensing.
D
Quantum sensing.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the concept of a biofilm: A biofilm is a community of microorganisms that attach to a surface and are embedded in a self-produced extracellular matrix. This matrix protects the cells and facilitates communication among them.
Learn about intercellular signaling in bacteria: Bacteria use chemical signals to communicate with each other, especially in dense communities like biofilms. This communication helps them coordinate behavior based on their population density.
Explore quorum sensing: Quorum sensing is a process where bacteria produce, release, and detect chemical signal molecules called autoinducers. As the population density increases, the concentration of these molecules increases, allowing bacteria to sense their own density.
Differentiate quorum sensing from other options: EPS sensing refers to sensing the extracellular polymeric substances in the biofilm matrix, dispersal sensing involves detecting signals for biofilm dispersal, and quantum sensing is not a recognized method in microbiology.
Conclude that quorum sensing is the method used by bacterial cells within a biofilm to understand their own population density, as it involves the detection of autoinducers that correlate with cell density.
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