Tapping into the biofilm: insights into assembly and disassembly of a novel amyloid fibre in Bacillus subtilis

The Bacillus subtilis biofilm matrix harbours a functionally important amyloid fibre network composed of the protein TasA. Previous studies showed that the protein TapA (formerly YqxM) plays roles in TasA fibre formation and disassembly. In this issue, Romero et al., 2011 show that TapA is a component of the fibre and links it to the peptidoglycan. Therefore, TapA directs TasA fibre formation, links it to the cell wall and, most likely, participates in fibre dispersal. These results provide important insights into the control of biofilm formation in B. subtilis and, potentially, the regulation of amyloid fibre formation in diverse species.