Microbial adhesion in biotechnological processes.

The majority of microorganisms are capable of adhering to surfaces, and we now have a clearer image of the relevance of substratum properties, bacterial surface properties, and molecular conditioning films in adhesion processes. Altered gene expression and increased opportunities for gene transfer are now recognized as consequences of the association of microbes with surfaces. Microbial adhesion leads to biofilm formation; over the past few years, our image of biofilm structure has altered so substantially that a total reassessment of ideas on mass transport of molecules to and from biofilms is essential in environmental biotechnology.