Increased resistance to detachment of adherent microspheres and Bacillus spores subjected to a drying step.

In various environments, including that of food processing, adherent bacteria are often subjected to drying conditions. These conditions have been shown to result in changes in the ability of biofilms to cross-contaminate food in contact with them. In this study, we investigated the consequences of a drying step on the further ability of adherent bacterial spores to resist detachment.

Glycosylation of BclA Glycoprotein from Bacillus cereus and Bacillus anthracis Exosporium Is Domain-specific.

The spores of the Bacillus cereus group (B. cereus, Bacillus anthracis, and Bacillus thuringiensis) are surrounded by a paracrystalline flexible yet resistant layer called exosporium that plays a major role in spore adhesion and virulence. The major constituent of its hairlike surface, the trimerized glycoprotein BclA, is attached to the basal layer through an N-terminal domain.

Presence and function of a thick mucous layer rich in polysaccharides around Bacillus subtilis spores.

This study was designed to establish the presence and function of the mucous layer surrounding spores of Bacillus subtilis. First, an external layer of variable thickness and regularity was often observed on B. subtilis spores.

Domains of BclA, the major surface glycoprotein of the B. cereus exosporium: glycosylation patterns and role in spore surface properties.

The role of the BclA domains of B. cereus ATCC 14579 was investigated in order to understand the phenomena involved in the interfacial processes occurring between spores and inert surfaces. This was done by (i) creating deletions in the collagen-like region (CLR) and the C-terminal domain (CTD) of BclA, (ii) building BclA proteins with various lengths in the CLR and (iii) modifying the hydrophobic upper surface in the CTD.

Morphology and physico-chemical properties of Bacillus spores surrounded or not with an exosporium: consequences on their ability to adhere to stainless steel.

This study was designed to elucidate the influence of spore properties such as the presence of an exosporium, on their ability to adhere to materials. This analysis was performed on 17 strains belonging to the B. cereus group and to less related Bacillus species.