scholarly journals Cryptococcal Traits Mediating Adherence to Biotic and Abiotic Surfaces

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Camacho ◽  
Arturo Casadevall
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Microbial Pathogenesis ◽  
Structural Components ◽  
Surface Attachment ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Fungal Adhesion ◽  
Adaptation Mechanisms ◽  
Abiotic Surfaces ◽  
Animal Hosts ◽  
Cryptococcus Spp

Several species in the genus Cryptococcus are facultative intracellular pathogens capable of causing disease associated with high mortality and morbidity in humans. These fungi interact with other organisms in the soil, and these interactions may contribute to the development of adaptation mechanisms that function in virulence by promoting fungal survival in animal hosts. Fungal adhesion molecules, also known as adhesins, have been classically considered as cell-surface or secreted proteins that play critical roles in microbial pathogenesis or in biofilm formation as structural components. Pathogenic Cryptococcus spp. differ from other pathogenic yeasts in having a polysaccharide capsule that covers the cell wall surface and precludes interactions of those structures with host cell receptors. Hence, pathogenic Cryptococcus spp. use unconventional tools for surface attachment. In this essay, we review the unique traits and mechanisms favoring adhesion of Cryptococcus spp. to biotic and abiotic surfaces. Knowledge of the traits that mediate adherence could be exploited in the development of therapeutic, biomedical, and/or industrial products.

Attachment to and biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces by Acinetobacter baumannii: involvement of a novel chaperone-usher pili assembly system

Microbiology ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 149 (12) ◽  
pp. 3473-3484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew P. Tomaras ◽  
Caleb W. Dorsey ◽  
Richard E. Edelmann ◽  
Luis A. Actis
Keyword(s):  
Acinetobacter Baumannii ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Prototype Strain ◽  
Culture Conditions ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Cell Aggregates ◽  
Surface Attachment ◽  
Abiotic Surfaces ◽  
Air Interface ◽  
Dna Sequencing Analysis

Acinetobacter baumannii causes severe infections in compromised patients, survives on abiotic surfaces in hospital environments and colonizes different medical devices. In this study the analysis of the processes involved in surface attachment and biofilm formation by the prototype strain 19606 was initiated. This strain attaches to and forms biofilm structures on plastic and glass surfaces, particularly at the liquid–air interface of cultures incubated stagnantly. The cell aggregates, which contain cell stacks separated by water channels, formed under different culture conditions and were significantly enhanced under iron limitation. Electron and fluorescence microscopy showed that pili and exopolysaccharides are part of the cell aggregates formed by this strain. Electron microscopy of two insertion derivatives deficient in attachment and biofilm formation revealed the disappearance of pili-like structures and DNA sequencing analysis showed that the transposon insertions interrupted genes with the highest similarity to hypothetical genes found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas putida and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Although the products of these genes, which have been named csuC and csuE, have no known functions, they are located within a polycistronic operon that includes four other genes, two of which encode proteins related to chaperones and ushers involved in pili assembly in other bacteria. Introduction of a copy of the csuE parental gene restored the adherence phenotype and the presence of pili on the cell surface of the csuE mutant, but not that of the csuC derivative. These results demonstrate that the expression of a chaperone-usher secretion system, some of whose components appear to be acquired from unrelated sources, is required for pili formation and the concomitant attachment to plastic surfaces and the ensuing formation of biofilms by A. baumannii cells.

Inhibition of Virulence Factors and Biofilm Formation of Acinetobacter Baumannii by Naturally-derived and Synthetic Drugs

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nilushi Indika Bamunuar Achchi ◽  
Fazlurrahman Khan ◽  
Young-Mog Kim
Keyword(s):  
Acinetobacter Baumannii ◽  
Virulence Factors ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Initial Surface ◽  
Surface Attachment ◽  
Synthetic Compounds ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Synthetic Drugs ◽  
Host Cell Surface

: Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, and pleomorphic bacillus. A. baumanii is also a highly-infectious pathogen causing high mortality and morbidity rates in intensive care units. The discovery of novel agents against A. baumanii infections is urgently needed due to the emergence of drug-resistant A. baumannii strains and the limited number of efficacious antibiotics available for treatment. In addition to the production of several virulence factors, A. baumannii forms biofilms on the host cell surface as well. Formation of biofilms occurs through initial surface attachment, microcolony formation, biofilm maturation, and detachment stages, and is one of the major drug resistance mechanisms employed by A. baumanii. Several studies have previously reported the efficacy of naturally-derived and synthetic compounds as anti-biofilm and anti-virulence agents against A. baumannii. Here, inhibition of biofilm formation and virulence factors of A. baumannii using naturally-derived and synthetic compounds are reviewed.

scholarly journals Flagellar Motility Is Critical for Listeria monocytogenes Biofilm Formation

2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (12) ◽  
pp. 4418-4424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine P. Lemon ◽  
Darren E. Higgins ◽  
Roberto Kolter
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Food Contamination ◽  
Initial Surface ◽  
Flagellar Motility ◽  
Surface Attachment ◽  
Abiotic Surfaces ◽  
Biofilm Development

ABSTRACT The food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes attaches to environmental surfaces and forms biofilms that can be a source of food contamination, yet little is known about the molecular mechanisms of its biofilm development. We observed that nonmotile mutants were defective in biofilm formation. To investigate how flagella might function during biofilm formation, we compared the wild type with flagellum-minus and paralyzed-flagellum mutants. Both nonmotile mutants were defective in biofilm development, presumably at an early stage, as they were also defective in attachment to glass during the first few hours of surface exposure. This attachment defect could be significantly overcome by providing exogenous movement toward the surface via centrifugation. However, this centrifugation did not restore mature biofilm formation. Our results indicate that it is flagellum-mediated motility that is critical for both initial surface attachment and subsequent biofilm formation. Also, any role for L. monocytogenes flagella as adhesins on abiotic surfaces appears to be either minimal or motility dependent under the conditions we examined.

scholarly journals A Rhizobiales-specific unipolar polysaccharide adhesin contributes to Rhodopseudomonas palustris biofilm formation across diverse photoheterotrophic conditions

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan K Fritts ◽  
Breah LaSarre ◽  
Ari M Stoner ◽  
Amanda L Posto ◽  
James B McKinlay
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Rhodopseudomonas Palustris ◽  
Gene Clusters ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Organic Substrates ◽  
Biosynthesis Gene Cluster ◽  
Surface Attachment ◽  
Animal Hosts ◽  
Surface Adhesins

Bacteria predominantly exist as members of surfaced-attached communities known as biofilms. Many bacterial species initiate biofilms and adhere to each other using cell surface adhesins. This is the case for numerous ecologically diverse α-proteobacteria, which use polar exopolysaccharide adhesins for cell-cell adhesion and surface attachment. Here, we show that Rhodopseudomonas palustris, a metabolically versatile member of the α-proteobacterial order Rhizobiales, encodes a functional unipolar polysaccharide (UPP) biosynthesis gene cluster. Deletion of genes predicted to be critical for UPP biosynthesis and export abolished UPP production. We also found that R. palustris uses UPP to mediate biofilm formation across diverse photoheterotrophic growth conditions, wherein light and organic substrates are used to support growth. However, UPP was less important for biofilm formation during photoautotrophy, where light and CO2 support growth, and during aerobic respiration with organic compounds. Expanding our analysis beyond R. palustris, we examined the phylogenetic distribution and genomic organization of UPP gene clusters among Rhizobiales species that inhabit diverse niches. Our analysis suggests that UPP is a conserved ancestral trait of the Rhizobiales but that it has been independently lost multiple times during the evolution of this clade, twice coinciding with adaptation to intracellular lifestyles within animal hosts.

Antibiotics Application Strategies to Control Biofilm Formation in Pathogenic Bacteria

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 270-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fazlurrahman Khan ◽  
Dung T.N. Pham ◽  
Sandra F. Oloketuyi ◽  
Young-Mog Kim
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Extracellular Polymeric Substances ◽  
Quorum Quenching ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Bacterial Biofilm ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Biofilm Inhibition ◽  
Abiotic Surfaces

Background: The establishment of a biofilm by most pathogenic bacteria has been known as one of the resistance mechanisms against antibiotics. A biofilm is a structural component where the bacterial community adheres to the biotic or abiotic surfaces by the help of Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) produced by bacterial cells. The biofilm matrix possesses the ability to resist several adverse environmental factors, including the effect of antibiotics. Therefore, the resistance of bacterial biofilm-forming cells could be increased up to 1000 times than the planktonic cells, hence requiring a significantly high concentration of antibiotics for treatment. Methods: Up to the present, several methodologies employing antibiotics as an anti-biofilm, antivirulence or quorum quenching agent have been developed for biofilm inhibition and eradication of a pre-formed mature biofilm. Results: Among the anti-biofilm strategies being tested, the sub-minimal inhibitory concentration of several antibiotics either alone or in combination has been shown to inhibit biofilm formation and down-regulate the production of virulence factors. The combinatorial strategies include (1) combination of multiple antibiotics, (2) combination of antibiotics with non-antibiotic agents and (3) loading of antibiotics onto a carrier. Conclusion: The present review paper describes the role of several antibiotics as biofilm inhibitors and also the alternative strategies adopted for applications in eradicating and inhibiting the formation of biofilm by pathogenic bacteria.

scholarly journals Anti-Biofilm Molecules Targeting Functional Amyloids

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 795
Author(s):  
Leticia Matilla-Cuenca ◽  
Alejandro Toledo-Arana ◽  
Jaione Valle
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Therapeutic Strategy ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Therapeutic Strategies ◽  
Structural Components ◽  
Significant Issue ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Effective Therapeutic Strategy ◽  
Functional Amyloids ◽  
Biofilm Matrix

The choice of an effective therapeutic strategy in the treatment of biofilm-related infections is a significant issue. Amyloids, which have been historically related to human diseases, are now considered to be prevailing structural components of the biofilm matrix in a wide range of bacteria. This assumption creates the potential for an exciting research area, in which functional amyloids are considered to be attractive targets for drug development to dissemble biofilm structures. The present review describes the best-characterized bacterial functional amyloids and focuses on anti-biofilm agents that target intrinsic and facultative amyloids. This study provides a better understanding of the different modes of actions of the anti-amyloid molecules to inhibit biofilm formation. This information can be further exploited to improve the therapeutic strategies to combat biofilm-related infections.

scholarly journals Motility activity, slime production, biofilm formation and genetic typing by ERIC-PCR for Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from bovine and other sources (human and environment)

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Wolska ◽  
P. Szweda ◽  
K. Lada ◽  
E. Rytel ◽  
K. Gucwa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Bovine Mastitis ◽  
Twitching Motility ◽  
Phenotypic Properties ◽  
Biofilm Production ◽  
Abiotic Surfaces ◽  
Hospital Patients ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Initial Biofilm ◽  
Different Sources

AbstractThe molecular-typing strategy, ERIC-PCR was used in an attempt to determine the genomic relationship of 28 P. aeruginosa strains isolated from faeces of healthy bovine, bovine mastitis and from faeces of hospital patients as well as from environment. ERIC-PCR fingerprinting revealed large molecular differentiation within this group of isolates. Twenty two out of 28 strains tested generated unique patterns of DNA bands and only three genotypes consisted of two isolates each were identified. We also tested the P. aeruginosa isolates for their ability to form a biofilm on abiotic surfaces including polyvinylchloride and polystyrene. Different biofilm-forming abilities were demonstrated among strains; however, most of them (64.3%) showed moderate-biofilm forming ability. The strains with increased swimming and twitching motility displayed elevated biofilm formation. However, a negative correlation was found between slime and initial biofilm production. On the basis of the results obtained, we suggest that there are no major differences in phenotypic properties between P. aeruginosa strains isolated from different sources

scholarly journals Expression and Characterization of the Flocculin Flo11/Muc1, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mannoprotein with Homotypic Properties of Adhesion

2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 2214-2221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lois M. Douglas ◽  
Li Li ◽  
Yang Yang ◽  
A. M. Dranginis
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
In Vitro System ◽  
Glycosylphosphatidylinositol Anchor ◽  
Fungal Adhesion ◽  
Very High ◽  
Molecular Weight Form

ABSTRACT The Flo11/Muc1 flocculin has diverse phenotypic effects. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells of strain background Σ1278b require Flo11p to form pseudohyphae, invade agar, adhere to plastic, and develop biofilms, but they do not flocculate. We show that S. cerevisiae var. diastaticus strains, on the other hand, exhibit Flo11-dependent flocculation and biofilm formation but do not invade agar or form pseudohyphae. In order to study the nature of the Flo11p proteins produced by these two types of strains, we examined secreted Flo11p, encoded by a plasmid-borne gene, in which the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor sequences had been replaced by a histidine tag. A protein of approximately 196 kDa was secreted from both strains, which upon purification and concentration, aggregated into a form with a very high molecular mass. When secreted Flo11p was covalently attached to microscopic beads, it conferred the ability to specifically bind to S. cerevisiae var. diastaticus cells, which flocculate, but not to Σ1278b cells, which do not flocculate. This was true for the 196-kDa form as well as the high-molecular-weight form of Flo11p, regardless of the strain source. The coated beads bound to S. cerevisiae var. diastaticus cells expressing FLO11 and failed to bind to cells with a deletion of FLO11, demonstrating a homotypic adhesive mechanism. Flo11p was shown to be a mannoprotein. Bead-to-cell adhesion was inhibited by mannose, which also inhibits Flo11-dependent flocculation in vivo, further suggesting that this in vitro system is a useful model for the study of fungal adhesion.

scholarly journals Extracellular DNA release from the genome-reduced pathogen Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is essential for biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin B. A. Raymond ◽  
Cheryl Jenkins ◽  
Lynne Turnbull ◽  
Cynthia B. Whitchurch ◽  
Steven P. Djordjevic
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Mycoplasma Hyopneumoniae ◽  
Extracellular Dna ◽  
Abiotic Surfaces ◽  
Dna Release

Archaeal biofilms: widespread and complex

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 393-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrina Fröls
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Extracellular Polymeric Substances ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Surface Adhesion ◽  
Form Complex ◽  
Abiotic Surfaces ◽  
Archaeal Species ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Mixed Communities

Biofilms or multicellular structures become accepted as the dominant microbial lifestyle in Nature, but in the past they were only studied extensively in bacteria. Investigations on archaeal monospecies cultures have shown that many archaeal species are able to adhere on biotic and abiotic surfaces and form complex biofilm structures. Biofilm-forming archaea were identified in a broad range of extreme and moderate environments. Natural biofilms observed are mostly mixed communities composed of archaeal and bacterial species of various abundances. The physiological functions of the archaea identified in such mixed communities suggest a significant impact on the biochemical cycles maintaining the flow and recycling of the nutrients on earth. Therefore it is of high interest to investigate the characteristics and mechanisms underlying the archaeal biofilm formation. In the present review, I summarize and discuss the present investigations of biofilm-forming archaeal species, i.e. their diverse biofilm architectures in monospecies or mixed communities, the identified EPSs (extracellular polymeric substances), archaeal structures mediating surface adhesion or cell–cell connections, and the response to physical and chemical stressors implying that archaeal biofilm formation is an adaptive reaction to changing environmental conditions. A first insight into the molecular differentiation of cells within archaeal biofilms is given.

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