biofilms
Editor's Pick Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary SciencePseudomonas aeruginosa Interstrain Dynamics and Selection of Hyperbiofilm Mutants during a Chronic InfectionBacteria adapt to infections by evolving variants that are more fit and persistent. These recalcitrant variants are typically observed in chronic infections. However, it is unclear when and why these variants evolve. To address these questions, we used a porcine chronic wound model to study the evolutionary dynamics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a mixed-strain...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyAggregation of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Is Regulated by Carbon-Nitrogen BalanceFree-living bacteria can assemble into multicellular structures called biofilms. Biofilms help bacteria tolerate multiple stresses, including antibiotics and the host immune system. Nontuberculous mycobacteria are a group of emerging opportunistic pathogens that utilize biofilms to adhere to household plumbing and showerheads and to avoid phagocytosis by host immune cells. Typically, bacteria regulate biofilm formation by controlling...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyIdentification of Extracellular DNA-Binding Proteins in the Biofilm MatrixMany bacteria are capable of forming biofilms encased in a matrix of self-produced extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that protects them from chemotherapies and the host defenses. As a result of these inherent resistance mechanisms, bacterial biofilms are extremely difficult to eradicate and are associated with chronic wounds, orthopedic and surgical wound infections, and invasive infections, such as infective endocarditis and...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyMetabolic Remodeling during Biofilm Development of Bacillus subtilisBacterial biofilms are ubiquitous in natural environments and play an important role in many clinical, industrial, and ecological settings. Although much is known about the transcriptional regulatory networks that control biofilm formation in model bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, very little is known about the role of metabolism in this complex developmental...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionEffects of a Novel Probiotic Combination on Pathogenic Bacterial-Fungal Polymicrobial BiofilmsThe effects of diversity of the gut microbiome on inflammation have centered mainly on bacterial flora. Recent research has implicated fungal species and their interactions with other organisms in the inflammatory process. New ways to restore microbial balance in the gut are being explored. Our goal was to identify beneficial probiotic strains that would antagonize these fungal and bacterial pathogens that are elevated in the inflamed...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyRespiratory Heterogeneity Shapes Biofilm Formation and Host Colonization in Uropathogenic Escherichia coliBiofilms are multicellular bacterial communities encased in a self-secreted extracellular matrix comprised of polysaccharides, proteinaceous fibers, and DNA. Organization of these components lends spatial organization in the biofilm community. Here we demonstrate that oxygen gradients in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) biofilms lead to spatially distinct...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyCross Talk between Chemosensory Pathways That Modulate Chemotaxis and Biofilm FormationIn many bacteria, two or more homologous chemosensory pathways control several cellular functions, such as motility and gene regulation, in response to changes in the cell’s microenvironment. Cross talk between signal transduction systems is poorly understood; while generally it is considered to be undesired, in some instances it might be beneficial for coregulation of complex behaviors. We demonstrate that several receptors from the...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceCompetition in Biofilms between Cystic Fibrosis Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Is Shaped by R-PyocinsA major clinical problem caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is chronic biofilm infection of the lungs in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). Epidemic P. aeruginosa strains dominate and displace others during CF infection, but these intraspecies interactions remain poorly understood. Here we...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyPhysical Determinants of Amyloid Assembly in Biofilm FormationBiofilms are generated by bacteria, embedded in the formed extracellular matrix. The biofilm's function is to improve the survival of a bacterial colony through, for example, increased resistance to antibiotics or other environmental stresses. Proteins secreted by the bacteria act as a major structural component of this extracellular matrix, as they self-assemble into highly stable amyloid fibrils, making the biofilm very difficult to...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyMatrix Polysaccharides and SiaD Diguanylate Cyclase Alter Community Structure and Competitiveness of Pseudomonas aeruginosa during Dual-Species Biofilm Development with Staphylococcus aureusBacteria in natural and engineered environments form biofilms that include many different species. Microorganisms rely on a number of different strategies to manage social interactions with other species and to access resources, build biofilm consortia, and optimize growth. For example, Pseudomonas...