slimesecreting

Slime secreting is the production and release of a viscous extracellular slime by certain organisms. The slime can act as a protective coating, aid movement, or help surface attachment, and may appear as a continuous film or discrete trails.

In microbes, slime is an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) rich in polysaccharides, with proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Its production is often regulated by signaling networks that respond to the environment; in bacteria, cyclic-di-GMP commonly promotes slime production and biofilm formation. EPS are synthesized and secreted through specific pathways to assemble the external matrix that surrounds cells.

Biological roles include adherence to surfaces, resistance to desiccation and antimicrobial agents, and the creation of biofilms that allow microbial communities to persist in harsh environments. Slime can also enable movement or prey capture in some organisms, and slime trails are used by certain amoeboid species to coordinate migration.

The study of slime secretion informs environmental microbiology, medicine, and industry, where slime-secreting organisms influence water systems, equipment fouling, and infections, but also offer potential biotechnological applications in biopolymers and materials science. Research approaches include microscopy and staining of EPS, chemical analysis of polysaccharides, and genetic methods to identify regulatory pathways that control slime production.

See also: biofilm, extracellular polymeric substance, mucilage, slime mold.