Bacterial strains, plasmids, and primers used in this study.

<p>Bacterial strains, plasmids, and primers used in this study.</p

SEM analysis further reveals altered biofilm morphology and an increase in filamentous structures.

<p>Biofilms formed by the wild-type SK36, the <i>brpT</i> mutant, Δ<i>brpT</i>, and the complemented mutant, Δ<i>brpT_C</i>, scanned under (A) 1000x magnification and (B) 20,000x magnification revealed an altered morphology and an increase in filamentous structures for Δ<i>brpT</i> compared to the wild-type and complemented mutant. White arrows indicate filamentous substances.</p

Determination of glucans accumulated in <i>S</i>. <i>sanguinis</i> biofilm.

<p>Determination of glucans accumulated in <i>S</i>. <i>sanguinis</i> biofilm.</p

Efficiency of glucan accumulation in <i>S</i>. <i>sanguinis</i> biofilms.

<p><i>S</i>. <i>sanguinis</i> wild-type SK36, the <i>brpT</i> mutant Δ<i>brpT</i> and the complemented mutant Δ<i>brpT</i>_C were grown anaerobically for 24 h in BM medium containing 1% sucrose at 37°C. The amounts of (A) water soluble glucans and (B) water insoluble glucans in the biofilms were quantified using the phenol-sulfuric acid method and normalized to the concentration of genomic DNA.</p

Deletion of <i>gtfP</i> in <i>S</i>. <i>sanguinis</i> decreases biofilm attachment and glucan synthesis.

<p>Wild-type, the <i>gtfP</i> mutant, Δ<i>gtfP</i>, and the double mutant, Δ<i>brpT</i>/Δ<i>gtfP</i>, were cultured in BM with 1% sucrose for 24 h anaerobically and analyzed. (A) Weak attachment of the Δ<i>gtfP</i> and the Δ<i>brpT</i>/Δ<i>gtfP</i> biofilm (pellicle) to the polystyrene surface and reduced biofilm biomass determined by CV staining. (B) Quantification of biofilm formation (OD₆₀₀). Quantification of (C) water soluble glucans, WSG and (D) water insoluble glucans, WIG accumulated within the biofilm. **, indicates significance with <i>P</i> <0.01.</p

Deletion of <i>brpT</i> alters the biofilm structure.

<p>(A) Wild-type <i>S</i>. <i>sanguinis</i>, SK36, the <i>brpT</i> mutant, Δ<i>brpT</i>, and the complemented mutant, Δ<i>brpT</i>_C were grown in BM as described in <i>Materials and Methods</i>. After 24-h growth, the biofilms were washed and stained with SYTO 9, and <i>z</i>-stacks of each were acquired by CLSM with a Plan-Neofluar ×10/0.3 objective lens. Representative orthogonal views from three independent experiments are displayed. (B) Quantification of biofilm thickness by CLSM for the wild-type, Δ<i>brpT</i> and Δ<i>brpT</i>_C. (C) Quantification of biofilm roughness for the wild-type, Δ<i>brpT</i> and Δ<i>brpT</i>_C. **, indicates significance with <i>P</i> <0.01.</p

Remendando sueños

No sé que tenga que ver el cuerpo atlético y el movimiento de gambeta del rey Pele con el pasito acicalado y el sombrero ladeado de Gardel, pero donde los vi juntos, dejando caer la mirada en blando tobogán desde la altura de un balcón inexistente, una sutil luz azul neón y cierto aire imantado une las más inverosímiles situaciones, en un espacio donde la ley de la gravedad permite volar y la del accidente no deja que a uno se le parta una pata. Aquí también esta la boa, larga, amarilla y canela, con sus secretos diseños en la espalda, cuya carne rosada y fresca ya puedo oler y alcanzo a sentir su sabor, parecido al del crudo y delicioso salmón que reparten en los aviones, sin llegar a ponerla en mi boca. La culebra esta estirada en sentido vertical a mi mirada y tiene un corte longitudinal finamente trazado en la espalda. Tengo la incierta certeza de que no debo cortar la cabeza para que la relación de energía entre los ojos y el cuerpo no se pierda, pero debo  desvestirla