Mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa Can Produce Calcium-Gelled Biofilms Independent of the Matrix Components Psl and CdrA
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Mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa Can Produce Calcium-Gelled Biofilms Independent of the Matrix Components Psl and CdrA. / Jacobs, Holly M.; O'Neal, Lindsey; Lopatto, Edward; Wozniak, Daniel J.; Bjarnsholt, Thomas; Parsek, Matthew R.
In: Journal of Bacteriology, Vol. 204, No. 5, 2022.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa Can Produce Calcium-Gelled Biofilms Independent of the Matrix Components Psl and CdrA
AU - Jacobs, Holly M.
AU - O'Neal, Lindsey
AU - Lopatto, Edward
AU - Wozniak, Daniel J.
AU - Bjarnsholt, Thomas
AU - Parsek, Matthew R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Jacobs et al.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Biofilms are aggregates of microorganisms embedded in an extracellular matrix comprised largely of exopolysaccharides (EPSs), nucleic acids, and proteins. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen that is also a model organism for studying biofilms in the laboratory. Here, we define a novel program of biofilm development used by mucoid (alginate-overproducing) P. aeruginosa in the presence of elevated calcium. Calcium cations cross-link negatively charged alginate polymers, resulting in individual cells being suspended in an alginate gel. The formation of this type of structurally distinct biofilm is not reliant on the canonical biofilm EPS components Psl and Pel or the matrix protein CdrA. We also observed that mucoid P. aeruginosa biofilm cells do not have the typical elevated levels of the secondary messenger cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP), as expected of biofilm cells, nor does the overproduction of alginate rely on high c-di-GMP. This contrasts with nonmucoid biofilms in which the production of the matrix components Psl, Pel, and CdrA is positively regulated by elevated c-di-GMP. We further demonstrate that calcium-gelled alginate biofilms impede the penetration of the antibiotic tobramycin, thus protecting the biofilm community from antibiotic-mediated killing. Finally, we show that bacterial aggregates with a dispersed cell arrangement like laboratory-grown calcium-alginate biofilm structures are present in explanted cystic fibrosis (CF) lung samples. Our findings illustrate the diverse nature of biofilm formation and structure in P. aeruginosa.
AB - Biofilms are aggregates of microorganisms embedded in an extracellular matrix comprised largely of exopolysaccharides (EPSs), nucleic acids, and proteins. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen that is also a model organism for studying biofilms in the laboratory. Here, we define a novel program of biofilm development used by mucoid (alginate-overproducing) P. aeruginosa in the presence of elevated calcium. Calcium cations cross-link negatively charged alginate polymers, resulting in individual cells being suspended in an alginate gel. The formation of this type of structurally distinct biofilm is not reliant on the canonical biofilm EPS components Psl and Pel or the matrix protein CdrA. We also observed that mucoid P. aeruginosa biofilm cells do not have the typical elevated levels of the secondary messenger cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP), as expected of biofilm cells, nor does the overproduction of alginate rely on high c-di-GMP. This contrasts with nonmucoid biofilms in which the production of the matrix components Psl, Pel, and CdrA is positively regulated by elevated c-di-GMP. We further demonstrate that calcium-gelled alginate biofilms impede the penetration of the antibiotic tobramycin, thus protecting the biofilm community from antibiotic-mediated killing. Finally, we show that bacterial aggregates with a dispersed cell arrangement like laboratory-grown calcium-alginate biofilm structures are present in explanted cystic fibrosis (CF) lung samples. Our findings illustrate the diverse nature of biofilm formation and structure in P. aeruginosa.
KW - alginate
KW - biofilms
KW - c-di-GMP
KW - calcium
KW - CdrA
KW - cystic fibrosis
KW - mucoid
KW - Pseudomonas aeruginosa
KW - Psl
U2 - 10.1128/jb.00568-21
DO - 10.1128/jb.00568-21
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 35416688
AN - SCOPUS:85129364721
VL - 204
JO - Journal of Bacteriology
JF - Journal of Bacteriology
SN - 0021-9193
IS - 5
ER -
ID: 313378296