Biofilm formation is
a developmental process in which bacteria undergo a regulated lifestyle switch
from a nomadic unicellular state to a sedentary multicellular state where
subsequent growth results in structured communities and cellular
differentiation. Results of prior work by many groups allow the construction of
a hypothetical developmental model for biofilm formation that can be
generalized for many different bacterial species. This model can be adjusted to
fit either of two general modes of unicellular lifestyle: nonmotile and motile.
