Biofilm

About: Biofilm is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 23010 publications have been published within this topic receiving 906812 citations. The topic is also known as: biofilms.

N-acylhomoserine-lactone-mediated communication between Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia in mixed biofilms.

Abstract: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia are capable of forming mixed biofilms in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. Both bacteria employ quorum-sensing systems, which rely on N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecules, to co-ordinate expression of virulence factors with the formation of biofilms. As both bacteria utilize the same class of signal molecules the authors investigated whether communication between the species occurs. To address this issue, novel Gfp-based biosensors for non-destructive, in situ detection of AHLs were constructed and characterized. These sensors were used to visualize AHL-mediated communication in mixed biofilms, which were cultivated either in artificial flow chambers or in alginate beads in mouse lung tissue. In both model systems B. cepacia was capable of perceiving the AHL signals produced by P. aeruginosa, while the latter strain did not respond to the molecules produced by B. cepacia. Measurements of extracellular proteolytic activities of defined quorum-sensing mutants grown in media complemented with AHL extracts prepared from culture supernatants of various wild-type and mutant strains supported the view of unidirectional signalling between the two strains.

Messing with Bacterial Quorum Sensing

Abstract: Quorum sensing is widely recognized as an efficient mechanism to regulate expression of specific genes responsible for communal behavior in bacteria. Several bacterial phenotypes essential for the successful establishment of symbiotic, pathogenic, or commensal relationships with eukaryotic hosts, including motility, exopolysaccharide production, biofilm formation, and toxin production, are often regulated by quorum sensing. Interestingly, eukaryotes produce quorum-sensing-interfering (QSI) compounds that have a positive or negative influence on the bacterial signaling network. This eukaryotic interference could result in further fine-tuning of bacterial quorum sensing. Furthermore, recent work involving the synthesis of structural homologs to the various quorum-sensing signal molecules has resulted in the development of additional QSI compounds that could be used to control pathogenic bacteria. The creation of transgenic plants that express bacterial quorum-sensing genes is yet another strategy to interfere with bacterial behavior. Further investigation on the manipulation of quorum-sensing systems could provide us with powerful tools against harmful bacteria.

Quorum Sensing Controls Biofilm Formation in Vibrio cholerae through Modulation of Cyclic Di-GMP Levels and Repression of vpsT

Abstract: Two chemical signaling systems, quorum sensing (QS) and 3',5'-cyclic diguanylic acid (c-di-GMP), reciprocally control biofilm formation in Vibrio cholerae. QS is the process by which bacteria communicate via the secretion and detection of autoinducers, and in V. cholerae, QS represses biofilm formation. c-di-GMP is an intracellular second messenger that contains information regarding local environmental conditions, and in V. cholerae, c-di-GMP activates biofilm formation. Here we show that HapR, a major regulator of QS, represses biofilm formation in V. cholerae through two distinct mechanisms. HapR controls the transcription of 14 genes encoding a group of proteins that synthesize and degrade c-di-GMP. The net effect of this transcriptional program is a reduction in cellular c-di-GMP levels at high cell density and, consequently, a decrease in biofilm formation. Increasing the c-di-GMP concentration at high cell density to the level present in the low-cell-density QS state restores biofilm formation, showing that c-di-GMP is epistatic to QS in the control of biofilm formation in V. cholerae. In addition, HapR binds to and directly represses the expression of the biofilm transcriptional activator, vpsT. Together, our results suggest that V. cholerae integrates information about the vicinal bacterial community contained in extracellular QS autoinducers with the intracellular environmental information encoded in c-di-GMP to control biofilm formation.

Influence of temperature on biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes on various food-contact surfaces: relationship with motility and cell surface hydrophobicity.

Abstract: Aims: To assess the ability of Listeria monocytogenes to form biofilm on different food-contact surfaces with regard to different temperatures, cellular hydrophobicity and motility. Methods and Results: Forty-four L. monocytogenes strains from food and food environment were tested for biofilm formation by crystal violet staining. Biofilm levels were significantly higher on glass at 4, 12 and 22°C, as compared with polystyrene and stainless steel. At 37°C, L. monocytogenes produced biofilm at significantly higher levels on glass and stainless steel, as compared with polystyrene. Hydrophobicity was significantly (P < 0·05) higher at 37°C than at 4, 12 and 22°C. Thirty (68·2%) of 44 strains tested showed swimming at 22°C and 4 (9·1%) of those were also motile at 12°C. No correlation was observed between swimming and biofilm production. Conclusions: L. monocytogenes can adhere to and form biofilms on food-processing surfaces. Biofilm formation is significantly influenced by temperature, probably modifying cell surface hydrophobicity. Significance and Impacts of the Study: Biofilm formation creates major problems in the food industry because it may represent an important source of food contamination. Our results are therefore important in finding ways to prevent contamination because they contribute to a better understanding on how L. monocytogenes can establish biofilms in food industry and therefore survive in the processing environment.

Colonization, biofilm formation and biodegradation of polyethylene by a strain of Rhodococcus ruber

Abstract: A two-step enrichment procedure led to the isolation of a strain of Rhodococcus ruber (C208) that utilized polyethylene films as sole carbon source. In liquid culture, C208 formed a biofilm on the polyethylene surface and degraded up to 8% (gravimetrically) of the polyolefin within 30 days of incubation. The bacterial adhesion to hydrocarbon assay and the salt aggregation test both showed that the cell-surface hydrophobicity of C208 was higher than that of three other isolates which were obtained from the same consortium but were less efficient than C208 in the degradation of polyethylene. Mineral oil, but not nonionic surfactants, enhanced the colonization of polyethylene and increased biodegradation by about 50%. Fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis and protein content analysis were used to test the viability and biomass density of the C208 biofilm on the polyethylene, respectively. Both FDA activity and protein content of the biofilm in a medium containing mineral oil peaked 48-72 h after inoculation and then decreased sharply. This finding apparently reflected rapid utilization of the mineral oil adhering to the polyethylene. The remaining biofilm population continued to proliferate moderately and presumably played a major role in biodegradation of the polyethylene. Fourier transform infrared spectra of UV-photooxidized polyethylene incubated with C208 indicated that biodegradation was initiated by utilization of the carbonyl residues formed in the photooxidized polyethylene.