Pseudomonas aeruginosa initiates a rapid and specific transcriptional response to surfaces during biofilm initiation
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Date
2020-05
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa forms complex cell aggregates, called biofilms, through
production of exo-polysaccharides that form a thick, protective mucoid layer. Biofilms have serious health implications for immunocompromised patients, resulting in increased mortality rates for burn wound, Cystic Fibrosis (CF), AIDS, and chemotherapy patients. While many studies have focused on mature biofilms, this thesis explores the initial cell-surface interactions that allow for the establishment of the biofilm. The early steps of surface attachment remain obscure, with little information present on how planktonic cells transition to biofilm cells, and the signaling cascade and regulation networks that mediate this phenotypic change. The aim of this study was to define the kinetics of P. aeruginosa transcriptional response to a surface and identify key genes that play a role in the attachment process. An mRNA analysis of P. aeruginosa at various time points post-attachment revealed genes involved in this process. A mutant library of these genes was used to perform lengthened biofilm crystal violet assays, indicating which mutants displayed biofilm defects. Four genes (leuD, phnA, pfpI, and moaE) were analyzed further through complementation assays and growth curve analyses. We propose that these studies present an important background for understanding the initial stages of cell attachment and biofilm formation that may be exploited in future developments of bacterial control strategies and therapies.
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Keywords
Bacteria, Biofilms, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Infection, Health, Hospital