Surface-layer protein is a public-good matrix exopolymer for microbial community organisation in environmental anammox biofilms.

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are core biofilm components, yet how they mediate interactions within and contribute to the structuring of biofilms is largely unknown, particularly for non-culturable microbial communities that predominate in environmental habitats. To address this knowledge gap, we explored the role of EPS in an anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) biofilm. An extracellular glycoprotein, BROSI_A1236, from an anammox bacterium, formed envelopes around the anammox cells, supporting its identification as a surface (S-) layer protein.

Nanoplasmonic Sensing from the Human Vision Perspective.

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) constitutes a versatile technique for biodetection, exploiting the sensitivity of plasmonic nanostructures to small changes in refractive index. The optical shift in the LSPR band caused by molecular interactions in the vicinity of the nanostructures are typically <5 nm and can readily be detected by a spectrophotometer. Widespread use of LSPR-based sensors require cost-effective devices and would benefit from sensing schemes that enables use of very simple spectrophotometers or even naked-eye detection.