scholarly journals Magneto-mechanically actuated microstructures to efficiently prevent bacterial biofilm formation

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Leulmi Pichot ◽  
H. Joisten ◽  
A. J. Grant ◽  
B. Dieny ◽  
R. P. Cowburn

Abstract Biofilm colonisation of surfaces is of critical importance in various areas ranging from indwelling medical devices to industrial setups. Of particular importance is the reduced susceptibility of bacteria embedded in a biofilm to existing antimicrobial agents. In this paper, we demonstrate that remotely actuated magnetic cantilevers grafted on a substrate act efficiently in preventing bacterial biofilm formation. When exposed to an alternating magnetic field, the flexible magnetic cantilevers vertically deflect from their initial position periodically, with an extremely low frequency (0.16 Hz). The cantilevers’ beating prevents the initial stage of bacterial adhesion to the substrate surface and the subsequent biofilm growth. Our experimental data on E. coli liquid cultures demonstrate up to a 70% reduction in biofilm formation. A theoretical model has been developed to predict the amplitude of the cantilevers vertical deflection. Our results demonstrate proof-of-concept for a device that can magneto-mechanically prevent the first stage in bacterial biofilm formation, acting as on-demand fouling release active surfaces.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald C. Hall ◽  
Phillip Palmer ◽  
Hai-Feng Ji ◽  
Garth D. Ehrlich ◽  
Jarosław E. Król

Recent advances in 3D printing have led to a rise in the use of 3D printed materials in prosthetics and external medical devices. These devices, while inexpensive, have not been adequately studied for their ability to resist biofouling and biofilm buildup. Bacterial biofilms are a major cause of biofouling in the medical field and, therefore, hospital-acquired, and medical device infections. These surface-attached bacteria are highly recalcitrant to conventional antimicrobial agents and result in chronic infections. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and medical officials have considered 3D printed medical devices as alternatives to conventional devices, due to manufacturing shortages. This abundant use of 3D printed devices in the medical fields warrants studies to assess the ability of different microorganisms to attach and colonize to such surfaces. In this study, we describe methods to determine bacterial biofouling and biofilm formation on 3D printed materials. We explored the biofilm-forming ability of multiple opportunistic pathogens commonly found on the human body including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus to colonize eight commonly used polylactic acid (PLA) polymers. Biofilm quantification, surface topography, digital optical microscopy, and 3D projections were employed to better understand the bacterial attachment to 3D printed surfaces. We found that biofilm formation depends on surface structure, hydrophobicity, and that there was a wide range of antimicrobial properties among the tested polymers. We compared our tested materials with commercially available antimicrobial PLA polymers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 172-175
Author(s):  
Michael Teske ◽  
Tina Kießlich ◽  
Niels Grabow ◽  
Sabine Illner ◽  
Julia Fischer ◽  
...  

AbstractThe use of biomaterials in medicine is becoming increasingly important. One of the main concerns is the foreign body associated infection caused by direct microbial contamination or clinical infections. The bacterial biofilm formation on biomaterials depends on their surface properties. Therefore, several anti-adhesive surface modifications were developed. Nevertheless, the demand for antimicrobial agents that prevent bacterial colonisation is still largely unmet. The immobilization of active antimicrobial agents, such as antibacterial peptides or enzymes, offers a potential approach to achieve long-lasting effectiveness. In this investigation, the hydrolytic enzyme papain with its published antibacterial activity was covalently immobilized on the well-established biodegradable biomaterial poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA). For the characterization of the enzymes on the PLLA surfaces, the protein content and enzyme activity were determined. A biofilm assay was performed to test the effect of the papain-modified PLLA samples on the biofilm-forming bacterial strain Clostridioides difficile, one of the most frequently occurring human nosocomial pathogens. The investigated hydrolytic enzyme papain could be immobilized by coupling via the crosslinker EDC to the PLLA surface. Detection was performed by determination of the amount of protein and the reduced biofilm growth after 24 h and 72 h compared to the reference.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 383 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Grazia Cusimano ◽  
Vita Di Stefano ◽  
Maria La Giglia ◽  
Vincenzo Di Marco Lo Presti ◽  
Domenico Schillaci ◽  
...  

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of thymol in controlling environmental contamination in food processing facilities. The effect of thymol was tested as an agent to prevent planktonic and bacterial biofilm growth of twenty-five Listeria monocytogenes isolates from a variety of foods and five Escherichia coli isolates from a farm. The E. coli isolates were positive for extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes. All isolates and reference strains were susceptible to thymol at Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 250 to 800 μg/mL. An interesting activity of interference with biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes and E. coli was found for thymol at sub-MIC concentrations of 200, 100, 75, and 50 μg/mL. Anti-biofilm activity ranging from 59.71% to 66.90% against pre-formed 24-h-old L. monocytogenes biofilms at concentrations of 500 or 800 µg/mL, corresponding to 2× MIC, was determined against free-living forms of six isolates chosen as the best or moderate biofilm producers among the tested strains. The property of thymol to attack L. monocytogenes biofilm formation was also observed at a concentration of 100 µg/mL, corresponding to 1/4 MIC, by using a stainless-steel model to simulate the surfaces in food industries. This study gives information on the use of thymol in food processing setting.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (24) ◽  
pp. 2807-2816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun Su Jang ◽  
Tímea Mosolygó

: Bacteria within biofilms are more resistant to antibiotics and chemical agents than planktonic bacteria in suspension. Treatment of biofilm-associated infections inevitably involves high dosages and prolonged courses of antimicrobial agents; therefore, there is a potential risk of the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Due to the high prevalence of AMR and its association with biofilm formation, investigation of more effective anti-biofilm agents is required. : From ancient times, herbs and spices have been used to preserve foods, and their antimicrobial, anti-biofilm and anti-quorum sensing properties are well known. Moreover, phytochemicals exert their anti-biofilm properties at sub-inhibitory concentrations without providing the opportunity for the emergence of resistant bacteria or harming the host microbiota. : With increasing scientific attention to natural phytotherapeutic agents, numerous experimental investigations have been conducted in recent years. The present paper aims to review the articles published in the last decade in order to summarize a) our current understanding of AMR in correlation with biofilm formation and b) the evidence of phytotherapeutic agents against bacterial biofilms and their mechanisms of action. The main focus has been put on herbal anti-biofilm compounds tested to date in association with Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and food-borne pathogens (Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli).


2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 302-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel Pippi ANTONIAZZI ◽  
Gabriela Ocampo TROJAHN ◽  
Maísa CASARIN ◽  
Camilla Filippi dos Santos ALVES ◽  
Roberto Christ Vianna SANTOS ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective To compare the antimicrobial efficacy of a 0.12% chlorhexidine (CHX) and herbal green tea (Camellia sinensis) solution on established biofilms formed at different oxygen tensions in an in situ model. Method Twenty-five dental students were eligible for the study. In situ devices with standardized enamel specimens (ES) facing the palatal and buccal sides were inserted in the mouths of volunteers for a 7 day period. No agent was applied during the first four days. From the fifth day onward, both agents were applied to the test ES group and no agent was applied to the control ES group. After 7 days the ES fragments were removed from the devices, sonicated, plated on agar, and incubated for 24 h at 37 °C to determine and quantify the colony forming units (CFUs). Result CHX had significantly higher efficacy compared to green tea on the buccal (1330 vs. 2170 CFU/µL) and palatal (2250 vs. 2520 CFU/µL) ES. In addition, intragroup comparisons showed significantly higher efficacy in buccal ES over palatal ES (1330 vs. 2250 CFU/µL for CHX and 2170 vs, 2520 CFU/µL for CV) for both solutions. Analysis of the ES controls showed significantly higher biofilm formation in palatal ES compared to buccal ES. Conclusion CHX has higher efficacy than green tea on 4-day biofilms. The efficacy of both agents was reduced for biofilms grown in a low oxygen tension environment. Therefore, the oxygen tension environment seems to influence the efficacy of the tested agents.


mBio ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Sarenko ◽  
Gisela Klauck ◽  
Franziska M. Wilke ◽  
Vanessa Pfiffer ◽  
Anja M. Richter ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The bacterial second messenger bis-(3′-5′)-cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) ubiquitously promotes bacterial biofilm formation. Intracellular pools of c-di-GMP seem to be dynamically negotiated by diguanylate cyclases (DGCs, with GGDEF domains) and specific phosphodiesterases (PDEs, with EAL or HD-GYP domains). Most bacterial species possess multiple DGCs and PDEs, often with surprisingly distinct and specific output functions. One explanation for such specificity is “local” c-di-GMP signaling, which is believed to involve direct interactions between specific DGC/PDE pairs and c-di-GMP-binding effector/target systems. Here we present a systematic analysis of direct protein interactions among all 29 GGDEF/EAL domain proteins of Escherichia coli . Since the effects of interactions depend on coexpression and stoichiometries, cellular levels of all GGDEF/EAL domain proteins were also quantified and found to vary dynamically along the growth cycle. Instead of detecting specific pairs of interacting DGCs and PDEs, we discovered a tightly interconnected protein network of a specific subset or “supermodule” of DGCs and PDEs with a coregulated core of five hyperconnected hub proteins. These include the DGC/PDE proteins representing the c-di-GMP switch that turns on biofilm matrix production in E. coli . Mutants lacking these core hub proteins show drastic biofilm-related phenotypes but no changes in cellular c-di-GMP levels. Overall, our results provide the basis for a novel model of local c-di-GMP signaling in which a single strongly expressed master PDE, PdeH, dynamically eradicates global effects of several DGCs by strongly draining the global c-di-GMP pool and thereby restricting these DGCs to serving as local c-di-GMP sources that activate specific colocalized effector/target systems. IMPORTANCE c-di-GMP signaling in bacteria is believed to occur via changes in cellular c-di-GMP levels controlled by antagonistic and potentially interacting pairs of diguanylate cyclases (DGCs) and c-di-GMP phosphodiesterases (PDEs). Our systematic analysis of protein-protein interaction patterns of all 29 GGDEF/EAL domain proteins of E. coli , together with our measurements of cellular c-di-GMP levels, challenges both aspects of this current concept. Knocking out distinct DGCs and PDEs has drastic effects on E. coli biofilm formation without changing the cellular c-di-GMP level. In addition, rather than generally coming in interacting DGC/PDE pairs, a subset of DGCs and PDEs operates as central interaction hubs in a larger "supermodule," with other DGCs and PDEs behaving as “lonely players” without contacts to other c-di-GMP-related enzymes. On the basis of these data, we propose a novel concept of “local” c-di-GMP signaling in bacteria with multiple enzymes that make or break the second messenger c-di-GMP.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madhu Nagaraj ◽  
Zahra Najarzadeh ◽  
Jonathan Pansieri ◽  
Ludmilla A. Morozova-Roche ◽  
Henrik Biverstål ◽  
...  

Unlike misfolding in neurodegenerative diseases, aggregation of functional amyloids involved in bacterial biofilm, e.g. CsgA (E. coli) and FapC (Pseudomonas), is carefully regulated. However, it is unclear whether functional aggregation...


2018 ◽  
Vol 475 (8) ◽  
pp. 1491-1506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin M. Fontaine ◽  
Kevin S. Martin ◽  
Jennifer M. Garcia-Rodriguez ◽  
Claire Jung ◽  
Laura Briggs ◽  
...  

Regulation of nucleotide and nucleoside concentrations is critical for faithful DNA replication, transcription, and translation in all organisms, and has been linked to bacterial biofilm formation. Unusual 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide monophosphates (2′,3′-cNMPs) recently were quantified in mammalian systems, and previous reports have linked these nucleotides to cellular stress and damage in eukaryotes, suggesting an intriguing connection with nucleotide/nucleoside pools and/or cyclic nucleotide signaling. This work reports the first quantification of 2′,3′-cNMPs in Escherichia coli and demonstrates that 2′,3′-cNMP levels in E. coli are generated specifically from RNase I-catalyzed RNA degradation, presumably as part of a previously unidentified nucleotide salvage pathway. Furthermore, RNase I and 2′,3′-cNMP levels are demonstrated to play an important role in controlling biofilm formation. This work identifies a physiological role for cytoplasmic RNase I and constitutes the first progress toward elucidating the biological functions of bacterial 2′,3′-cNMPs.


Author(s):  
Holly M. Mayton ◽  
Sharon L. Walker ◽  
Bryan W. Berger

Biofilm formation is often attributed to post-harvest bacteria persistence on fresh produce and food handling surfaces. In this study, a predicted glycosyl hydrolase enzyme was expressed, purified and validated for removal of microbial biofilms from biotic and abiotic surfaces under conditions used for chemical cleaning agents. Crystal violet biofilm staining assays revealed that 0.1 mg/mL of enzyme inhibited up to 41% of biofilm formation by E. coli O157:H7, E. coli 25922, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes. Further, the enzyme was effective at removing mature biofilms, providing a 35% improvement over rinsing with a saline solution alone. Additionally, a parallel-plate flow cell was used to directly observe and quantify the impact of enzyme rinses on E. coli O157:H7 cells adhered to spinach leaf surfaces. The presence of 1 mg/L enzyme resulted in nearly 6 times greater detachment rate coefficients than a DI water rinse, while the total cells removed from the surface increased from 10% to 25% over the 30 minute rinse time, reversing the initial phases of biofilm formation. Enzyme treatment of all 4 cell types resulted in significantly reduced cell surface hydrophobicity, and collapse of negatively stained E. coli 25922 cells imaged by electron microscopy, suggesting potential polysaccharide surface modification of enzyme-treated bacteria. Collectively, these results point to the broad substrate specificity and robustness of the enzyme to different types of biofilm stages, solution conditions and pathogen biofilm types, and may be useful as a method for removal or inhibition of bacterial biofilm formation. IMPORTANCE In this study, the ability of an engineered enzyme to reduce bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation of several foodborne pathogens was demonstrated, representing a promising option for enhancing or replacing chlorine and other chemical sanitizers in food processing applications. Specifically, significant reductions of the pathogens Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes biofilms are observed, as well as reduction in initial adhesion. Enzymes have the added benefits of being green, sustainable alternatives to chemical sanitizers, as well as having minimal impact on food properties, in contrast with many alternative antimicrobial options such as bleach that aim to minimize food safety risks.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelena Terzić ◽  
◽  
Marina Stanković ◽  
Olgica Stefanović

Bacterial biofilm is a complex community of bacterial cells enclosed in a polymer matrix and attached to a biotic or abiotic substrate. In this living form the bacteria are more resistant to antimicrobial agents than in the form of planktonic cells. Biofilm is a common cause of chronic infections in humans, so due to the growing resistance to antibiotics, alternative methods for controlling infections using medicinal plants have been proposed. In this study, the antibiofilm activity of ethanol and acetone extracts of plants Lamium album, Achillea millefolium and Agrimonia eupatoria against eight clinical isolates of human pathogenic bacteria was examined. Inhibition of biofilm formation was demonstrated using the crystal violet test and the effect on metabolic activity was confirmed by the use of resazurin dye test. Ethanol extract of L. album showed the greatest activity against P. aeruginosa (PA9) at a concentration of 20 mg/ml (> 80% of inhibition), while acetone extract acted at a concentration of 5 mg/ml (≥ 18%) against Klebsiella sp. (K9). At a concentration of 10 mg/ml, the ethanol extract of A. millefolium was effective against E. coli (E16) and P. aeruginosa (PA8) (> 70%), while the acetone extract was effective at 2.5 mg/ml (> 80%) against E. coli (E16). Ethanol and acetone extracts of A. eupatoria were effective at a concentration of 10 mg/ml (> 50%) against E. coli (E16). The antibiofilm activity of the tested plant extracts on certain clinical isolates indicates their great potential in the treatment of infections caused by biofilm-producing bacteria.


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