The bulk of bacteria occuring in the environment grow at surfaces, forming biofilms. Bacteria growing in biofilms display a unique phenotype distinct from broth or agar cultured cells. The behaviour of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus in biofilms is under investigation by proteomic (2D electrophoretorgrams of proteins), as well as genetic analysis. The regulation and function of a number of regulatory elements of P. aeruginosa affected during growth as a biofilm are being studied. The growth, activity and survival of pathogenic bacteria in drinking water biofilms is also under investigation

Steyn B, Brözel VS: 2001. Novel method for the proteomic investigation of a dairy-associated Bacillus cereus biofilm. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 194, pp 47-51.

Steyn B, Oosthuizen DJ, MacDonald R, Theron J, Brözel VS: 2001. The use of glass wool as an attachment surface for studying phenotypic changes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Proteomics, 1, pp 871-879.

Theron J, Morar D, Du Preez M, Brözel VS, Venter SN: 2001. A sensitive seminested PCR method for the detection of Shigella in spiked environmental water samples. Water Research, 35, pp 869-874.