Is there a difference in gene expression within a biofilm?
There are differences in gene expression in even a single species depending upon where they’re found in the biofilm. An example would be on the internal portion of a large mushroom structure. At that point there will probably be less nutrients and less carbon sources for the cells to grow, probably less dissolved oxygen if it’s an aerobic organism. There may be a greater accumulation of things like cell signaling compounds because diffusion is limited there and there may also be the accumulation of waste products and that’s why an individual locations within a biofilm you could have different expression of proteins or gene regulation that is reflected by the environment at that spot. What is cell-cell signaling? I guess the best way to define that would be that these cell signaling compounds are just small chemical signal entities. They’re out there as individual entities and you need enough of them out there to actually cause the cell to respond so there’s a critical concentration tha
