The Biocide Chlorine Dioxide Stimulates Biofilm Formation in Bacillus subtilis by Activation of the Histidine Kinase KinC

This study, originally published in the Journal of Bacteriology, was conducted in order to investigate the effects of ClO2, a known biocide, on biofilm growth. Biofilm is a collection of different types of bacteria, fungi, and protists in a colony enveloped in secreted slime that allows them to adhere to moist surfaces ideal for growth. Biofilm is one of the most common techniques for growth and protection for these microorganisms, and is not only a nuisance, but a potential hazard.