Biofilms formed by E. coli and Salmonella contain a new form of modified cellulose Cellulose, a linear polymer of glucose residues, is the main component of plant cell walls and the most abundant biomolecule on the planet. Cellulose fibers from wood, cotton, and linen are mostly used as such, but can also be chemically modified to make rayon, viscose, and other textiles. Many bacteria also synthesize cellulose. Cellulose fibers produced by the model organism Komagataeibacter (Gluconacetobacter) xylinus are very similar to those found in plants (1) and are increasingly used in biotechnology and nanotechnology (2, 3). Escherichia coli and many other bacteria produce cellulose as a key component of the extracellular matrix that coats the cells to form a biofilm, a complex multicellular community consisting of numerous bacteria, exopolysaccharides (like cellulose), protein fibers, and DNA (4–6). The cellulose in biofilms was assumed to be the same as that produced by G. xylinus, owing to the same pattern of staining with Congo red dye and the same cellulose synthase enzyme (4–6). However, on page 334 of this issue, Thongsomboon et al. (7) report that E. coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium produce modified cellulose, in which every other glucosyl residue carries an additional phosphoethanolamine (pEtN) group. These findings have important implications for a wide variety of disciplines, from microbiology to materials science.

中文翻译：

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不是纯棉的细菌外衣

由大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌形成的生物膜含有一种新形式的改性纤维素 纤维素，一种葡萄糖残基的线性聚合物，是植物细胞壁的主要成分，也是地球上最丰富的生物分子。来自木材、棉花和亚麻的纤维素纤维主要用作此类纤维，但也可以进行化学改性以制造人造丝、粘胶纤维和其他纺织品。许多细菌也合成纤维素。由模型生物 Komagataeibacter (Gluconacetobacter) xylinus 产生的纤维素纤维与植物中发现的纤维素纤维非常相似 (1)，并且越来越多地用于生物技术和纳米技术 (2, 3)。大肠杆菌和许多其他细菌产生纤维素作为细胞外基质的关键成分，它覆盖细胞以形成生物膜，这是一个由众多细菌组成的复杂多细胞群落，胞外多糖（如纤维素）、蛋白质纤维和 DNA (4-6)。由于用刚果红染料染色的相同模式和相同的纤维素合酶 (4-6)，生物膜中的纤维素被认为与 G. xylinus 产生的纤维素相同。但是，在本期第 334 页上，Thongsomboon 等人。(7) 报道大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌鼠伤寒血清型产生改性纤维素，其中每隔一个葡糖基残基带有一个额外的磷酸乙醇胺 (pEtN) 基团。这些发现对从微生物学到材料科学的各种学科都具有重要意义。但是，在本期第 334 页上，Thongsomboon 等人。(7) 报道大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌鼠伤寒血清型产生改性纤维素，其中每隔一个葡糖基残基带有一个额外的磷酸乙醇胺 (pEtN) 基团。这些发现对从微生物学到材料科学的各种学科都具有重要意义。但是，在本期第 334 页上，Thongsomboon 等人。(7) 报道大肠杆菌和沙门氏菌鼠伤寒血清型产生改性纤维素，其中每隔一个葡糖基残基带有一个额外的磷酸乙醇胺 (pEtN) 基团。这些发现对从微生物学到材料科学的各种学科都具有重要意义。