Can diatoms sense surfaces?: State of our knowledge

When pennate diatoms adhere they do so by the secretion of an adhesive polymer. By the use of chemosensing leading to directed motility as an analogous system, potential sources of extracellular signals for this secretion have been examined. Evidence has accumulated that sensing of simple sugars (D‐glucose, D‐mannose) involves specific receptors and a Ca2+ flux. The evidence is discussed in terms of a receptor‐controlled secretion model for diatom adhesion. Means by which surfaces may be sensed by diatoms are proposed. It may be possible to design antifoulant molecules that interfere with surface‐sensing by binding to chemosensory receptors.