Increased biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates on surfaces covered with plasma proteins

2021 ◽  
Vol 70 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorrayne Cardoso Guimarães ◽  
Bruna Marques de Souza ◽  
Carolina de Oliveira Whitaker ◽  
Fernanda Abreu ◽  
Rosana Barreto Rocha Ferreira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Virulence Factor ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Plasma Proteins ◽  
Type Species ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Biofilm Production

Introduction. Biofilm formation is a major virulence factor associated with Staphylococcus aureus infections. However, the influence of plasma proteins on biofilm formation of clinical isolates in vitro remains unclear. Hypotheses. We hypothesized that coating surfaces with plasma proteins might induce biofilm formation by S. aureus of different clonal lineages. Aim. To evaluate biofilm production by clinical S. aureus isolates of different clonal lineages isolated in Rio de Janeiro hospitals and investigated the presence of biofilm-associated genes. Methodology. This study assessed biofilm production of 60 S. aureus isolates in polystyrene microtitre plates with and without fibrinogen or fibronectin. The biochemical composition of the biofilm matrices was determined and the biofilm formation on fibrinogen-coated surfaces was also evaluated by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The presence of biofilm-related genes was detected by PCR, and the typing and functionality of agr operon was also evaluated. Results. Most of the isolates (45 %) were weak biofilm producers or non-producers. However, most of them presented a significant increase in biofilm production on plates covered with plasma proteins. There was no significant difference in biofilm formation between methicillin-resistant and -susceptible S. aureus isolates, or between different clonal lineages, except for ST30-IV (weak producers) and ST239-III (strong producers). The fnbB gene was associated with higher biofilm production. Conclusion. An increase in biofilm production in the presence of plasma proteins highlights the importance of investigating biofilm formation by S. aureus clinical isolates under different conditions since this virulence factor contributes to persistent infections and increased resistance to antimicrobials.

scholarly journals Characterization of Escherichia coli obtained from patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis and diagnosed with peritonitis in a Brazilian centre

2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (9) ◽  
pp. 1330-1340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regiane C. B. Dias ◽  
Melissa A. Vieira ◽  
Ana C. Moro ◽  
Danilo F. M. Ribolli ◽  
Aydir C. M. Monteiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Peritoneal Dialysis ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Virulence Factor ◽  
Type Species ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Biofilm Production ◽  
Encoding Genes

Purpose. This study aimed to characterize 27 Escherichia coli isolates obtained from peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis that occurred at the University Hospital of Botucatu Medical School, Brazil, between 1997 and 2015. Methodology. These isolates were characterized regarding the occurrence of 22 virulence factor-encoding genes, antimicrobial resistance and biofilm production. We then evaluated whether these factors influenced the clinical outcome. Results. Over an 18-year period, 726 episodes of PD-related peritonitis were diagnosed, with 27 of them (3.7 %) being due to E. coli . The majority of the isolates were classified in phylogroups B1 (33.3 %), B2 (30.0 %) or F (18.0 %). fimH (100.0 %), ompT (66.7 %) and irp2 (51.9 %) were the most prevalent genes, while papA, papC, iha, sat, irp2, iucD, ireA, ibe10, ompT and kpsMTII were significantly more prevalent among isolates belonging to phylogroups B2 and F (P<0.05). Non-susceptibility to quinolones was detected in six isolates, which harboured chromosomal and/or plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance determinants, while two CTX-M extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli were identified. Virulence factor-encoding genes (alone or in combination) and antimicrobial resistance were not associated with non-resolution outcomes. However, there was a trend for the ability to produce biofilm to be associated with treatment failure, although this association was not statistically significant. Conclusion. The E. coli isolates were heterogeneous in terms of the features investigated, and were susceptible to most of the antimicrobial drugs tested, despite the unsuccessful treatment observed in more than 50.0 % of the patients. Studies including more cases could help to clarify if biofilm production can influence the outcome in patients with PD-related peritonitis.

Study of the impact of cultivation conditions and peg surface modification on the in vitro biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis in a system analogous to the Calgary biofilm device

2021 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adéla Diepoltová ◽  
Klára Konečná ◽  
Ondřej Janďourek ◽  
Petr Nachtigal
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Surface Modification ◽  
Staphylococcus Epidermidis ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Type Species ◽  
Cultivation Conditions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Link Type ◽  
The Impact

Introduction. Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (SE) are the most common pathogens from the genus Staphylococcus causing biofilm-associated infections. Generally, biofilm-associated infections represent a clinical challenge. Bacteria in biofilms are difficult to eradicate due to their resistance and serve as a reservoir for recurring persistent infections. Gap Statement. A variety of protocols for in vitro drug activity testing against staphylococcal biofilms have been introduced. However, there are often fundamental differences. All these differences in methodical approaches can then be reflected in the form of discrepancies between results. Aim. In this study, we aimed to develop optimal conditions for staphylococcal biofilm formation on pegs. The impact of peg surface modification was also studied. Methodology. The impact of tryptic soy broth alone or supplemented with foetal bovine serum (FBS) or human plasma (HP), together with the impact of the inoculum density of bacterial suspensions and the shaking versus the static mode of cultivation, on total biofilm biomass production in SA and SE reference strains was studied. The surface of pegs was modified with FBS, HP, or poly-l-lysine (PLL). The impact on total biofilm biomass was evaluated using the crystal violet staining method and statistical data analysis. Results. Tryptic soy broth supplemented with HP together with the shaking mode led to crucial potentiation of biofilm formation on pegs in SA strains. The SE strain did not produce biofilm biomass under the same conditions on pegs. Preconditioning of peg surfaces with FBS and HP led to a statistically significant increase in biofilm biomass formation in the SE strain. Conclusion. Optimal cultivation conditions for robust staphylococcal biofilm formation in vitro might differ among different bacterial strains and methodical approaches. The shaking mode and supplementation of cultivation medium with HP was beneficial for biofilm formation on pegs for SA (ATCC 29213) and methicillin-resistant SA (ATCC 43300). Peg conditioning with HP and PLL had no impact on biofilm formation in either of these strains. Peg coating with FBS showed an adverse effect on the biofilm formation of these strains. By contrast, there was a statistically significant increase in biofilm biomass production on pegs coated with FBS and HP for SE (ATCC 35983).

scholarly journals Anti-biofilm and anti-virulence effects of zerumbone against Acinetobacter baumannii

Microbiology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 166 (8) ◽  
pp. 717-726
Author(s):  
Hye-Rim Kim ◽  
Da-Seul Shin ◽  
Hye-In Jang ◽  
Yong-Bin Eom
Keyword(s):  
Acinetobacter Baumannii ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Type Species ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Transcriptional Analysis ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Link Type

Acinetobacter baumannii is a multidrug-resistant opportunistic pathogen that affects patients with a compromised immune system and is becoming increasingly important as a hospital-derived infection. This pathogen is difficult to treat owing to its intrinsic multidrug resistance and ability to form antimicrobial-tolerant biofilms. In the present study, we aimed to assess the potential use of zerumbone as a novel anti-biofilm and/or anti-virulence agent against A. baumannii . The results showed that zerumbone at sub-inhibitory doses decreased biofilm formation and disrupted established A. baumannii biofilms. The zerumbone-induced decrease in biofilm formation was dose-dependent based on the results of microtitre plate biofilm assays and confocal laser scanning microscopy. In addition, our data validated the anti-virulence efficacy of zerumbone, wherein it significantly interfered with the motility of A. baumannii . To support these phenotypic results, transcriptional analysis revealed that zerumbone downregulated the expression of biofilm- and virulence-associated genes (adeA, adeB, adeC and bap) in A. baumannii . Overall, our findings suggested that zerumbone might be a promising bioactive agent for the treatment of biofilm- and virulence-related infections caused by multidrug-resistant A. baumannii .

scholarly journals A functional menadione biosynthesis pathway is required for capsule production by Staphylococcus aureus

Microbiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 167 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dina Altwiley ◽  
Tarcisio Brignoli ◽  
Andrew Edwards ◽  
Mario Recker ◽  
Jean C. Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Immune Evasion ◽  
Type Species ◽  
Genome Wide Association Study ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Growth Defect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Capsule Production ◽  
A Genome

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that utilises a wide array of pathogenic and immune evasion strategies to cause disease. One immune evasion strategy, common to many bacterial pathogens, is the ability of S. aureus to produce a capsule that protects the bacteria from several aspects of the human immune system. To identify novel regulators of capsule production by S. aureus, we applied a genome wide association study (GWAS) to a collection of 300 bacteraemia isolates that represent the two major MRSA clones in UK and Irish hospitals: CC22 and CC30. One of the loci associated with capsule production, the menD gene, encodes an enzyme critical to the biosynthesis of menadione. Mutations in this gene that result in menadione auxotrophy induce the slow growing small-colony variant (SCV) form of S. aureus often associated with chronic infections due to their increased resistance to antibiotics and ability to survive inside phagocytes. Utilising such an SCV, we functionally verified this association between menD and capsule production. Although the clinical isolates with polymorphisms in the menD gene in our collections had no apparent growth defects, they were more resistant to gentamicin when compared to those with the wild-type menD gene. Our work suggests that menadione is involved in the production of the S. aureus capsule, and that amongst clinical isolates polymorphisms exist in the menD gene that confer the characteristic increased gentamicin resistance, but not the major growth defect associated with SCV phenotype.

scholarly journals A global transcriptomic analysis of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation across diverse clonal lineages

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brooke R. Tomlinson ◽  
Morgan E. Malof ◽  
Lindsey N. Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Transcriptional Regulation ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Ribosomal Proteins ◽  
Type Species ◽  
Anaerobic Respiration ◽  
Bacterial Persistence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Molecular Events

A key characteristic of Staphylococcus aureus infections, and one that also varies phenotypically between clones, is that of biofilm formation, which aids in bacterial persistence through increased adherence and immune evasion. Though there is a general understanding of the process of biofilm formation – adhesion, proliferation, maturation and dispersal – the tightly orchestrated molecular events behind each stage, and what drives variation between S. aureus strains, has yet to be unravelled. Herein we measure biofilm progression and dispersal in real-time across the five major S. aureus CDC-types (USA100-USA500) revealing adherence patterns that differ markedly amongst strains. To gain insight into this, we performed transcriptomic profiling on these isolates at multiple timepoints, compared to planktonically growing counterparts. Our findings support a model in which eDNA release, followed by increased positive surface charge, perhaps drives initial abiotic attachment. This is seemingly followed by cooperative repression of autolysis and activation of poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG) production, which may indicate a developmental shift in structuring the biofilm matrix. As biofilms mature, diminished translational capacity was apparent, with 53 % of all ribosomal proteins downregulated, followed by upregulation of anaerobic respiration enzymes. These findings are noteworthy because reduced cellular activity and an altered metabolic state have been previously shown to contribute to higher antibiotic tolerance and bacterial persistence. In sum, this work is, to our knowledge, the first study to investigate transcriptional regulation during the early, establishing phase of biofilm formation, and to compare global transcriptional regulation both temporally and across multiple clonal lineages.

scholarly journals Mutations in the gdpP gene are a clinically relevant mechanism for β-lactam resistance in meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus lacking mec determinants

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sommer ◽  
Stephan Fuchs ◽  
Franziska Layer ◽  
Christoph Schaudinn ◽  
Robert E. Weber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Type Species ◽  
Genome Wide Association Study ◽  
Subsequent Treatment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Link Type ◽  
A Genome ◽  
Genetic Mechanisms ◽  
The Impact

In Staphylococcus aureus , resistance to β-lactamase stable β-lactam antibiotics is mediated by the penicillinbinding protein 2a, encoded by mecA or by its homologues mecB or mecC. However, a substantial number of meticillin-resistant isolates lack known mec genes and, thus, are called meticillin resistant lacking mec (MRLM). This study aims to identify the genetic mechanisms underlying the MRLM phenotype. A total of 141 MRLM isolates and 142 meticillin-susceptible controls were included in this study. Oxacillin and cefoxitin minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by broth microdilution and the presence of mec genes was excluded by PCR. Comparative genomics and a genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach were applied to identify genetic polymorphisms associated with the MRLM phenotype. The potential impact of such mutations on the expression of PBP4, as well as on cell morphology and biofilm formation, was investigated. GWAS revealed that mutations in gdpP were significantly associated with the MRLM phenotype. GdpP is a phosphodiesterase enzyme involved in the degradation of the second messenger cyclic-di-AMP in S. aureus . A total of 131 MRLM isolates carried truncations, insertions or deletions as well as amino acid substitutions, mainly located in the functional DHH-domain of GdpP. We experimentally verified the contribution of these gdpP mutations to the MRLM phenotype by heterologous complementation experiments. The mutations in gdpP had no effect on transcription levels of pbp4; however, cell sizes of MRLM strains were reduced. The impact on biofilm formation was highly strain dependent. We report mutations in gdpP as a clinically relevant mechanism for β-lactam resistance in MRLM isolates. This observation is of particular clinical relevance, since MRLM are easily misclassified as MSSA (meticillin-susceptible S. aureus ), which may lead to unnoticed spread of β-lactam-resistant isolates and subsequent treatment failure.

Two regulatory factors of Vibrio cholerae activating the mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin pilus expression is important for biofilm formation and colonization in mice

Microbiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 167 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mengting Shi ◽  
Yue Zheng ◽  
Xianghong Wang ◽  
Zhengjia Wang ◽  
Menghua Yang
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Model ◽  
Vibrio Cholerae ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Type Species ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Expression Library ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Genomic Expression ◽  
Infant Mouse ◽  
Link Type

Vibrio cholerae the causative agent of cholera, uses a large number of coordinated transcriptional regulatory events to transition from its environmental reservoir to the host intestine, which is its preferred colonization site. Transcription of the mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin pilus (MSHA), which aids the persistence of V. cholerae in aquatic environments, but causes its clearance by host immune defenses, was found to be regulated by a yet unknown mechanism during the infection cycle of V. cholerae . In this study, genomic expression library screening revealed that two regulators, VC1371 and VcRfaH, are able to positively activate the transcription of MSHA operon. VC1371 is localized and active in the cell membrane. Deletion of vc1371 or VcrfaH genes in V. cholerae resulted in less MshA protein production and less efficiency of biofilm formation compared to that in the wild-type strain. An adult mouse model showed that the mutants with vc1371 or VcrfaH deletion colonized less efficiently than the wild-type; the VcrfaH deletion mutant showed less colonization efficiency in the infant mouse model. The findings strongly suggested that the two regulators, namely VC1371 and VcRfaH, which are involved in the regulation of MSHA expression, play an important role in V. cholerae biofilm formation and colonization in mice.

PBP4 and PBP5 are involved in regulating exopolysaccharide synthesis during Escherichia coli biofilm formation

Microbiology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 167 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sathi Mallick ◽  
Shanti Kiran ◽  
Tapas Kumar Maiti ◽  
Anindya S. Ghosh
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Type Species ◽  
Pentose Phosphate ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Surface Adhesion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Penicillin Binding Proteins ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Link Type

Escherichia coli low-molecular-mass (LMM) Penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) help in hydrolysing the peptidoglycan fragments from their cell wall and recycling them back into the growing peptidoglycan matrix, in addition to their reported involvement in biofilm formation. Biofilms are external slime layers of extra-polymeric substances that sessile bacterial cells secrete to form a habitable niche for themselves. Here, we hypothesize the involvement of Escherichia coli LMM PBPs in regulating the nature of exopolysaccharides (EPS) prevailing in its extra-polymeric substances during biofilm formation. Therefore, this study includes the assessment of physiological characteristics of E. coli CS109 LMM PBP deletion mutants to address biofilm formation abilities, viability and surface adhesion. Finally, EPS from parent CS109 and its ΔPBP4 and ΔPBP5 mutants were purified and analysed for sugars present. Deletions of LMM PBP reduced biofilm formation, bacterial adhesion and their viability in biofilms. Deletions also diminished EPS production by ΔPBP4 and ΔPBP5 mutants, purification of which suggested an increased overall negative charge compared with their parent. Also, EPS analyses from both mutants revealed the appearance of an unusual sugar, xylose, that was absent in CS109. Accordingly, the reason for reduced biofilm formation in LMM PBP mutants may be speculated as the subsequent production of xylitol and a hindrance in the standard flow of the pentose phosphate pathway.

Impact of pH on growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus in vitro

2021 ◽  
Vol 70 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vidula Iyer ◽  
Janhavi Raut ◽  
Anindya Dasgupta
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Growth Kinetics ◽  
Staphylococcus Epidermidis ◽  
Type Species ◽  
Ph Dependence ◽  
Skin Microbiome ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Kinetics Of

The pH of skin is critical for skin health and resilience and plays a key role in controlling the skin microbiome. It has been well reported that under dysbiotic conditions such as atopic dermatitis (AD), eczema, etc. there are significant aberrations of skin pH, along with a higher level of Staphylococcus aureus compared to the commensal Staphylococcus epidermidis on skin. To understand the effect of pH on the relative growth of S. epidermidis and S. aureus , we carried out simple in vitro growth kinetic studies of the individual microbes under varying pH conditions. We demonstrated that the growth kinetics of S. epidermidis is relatively insensitive to pH within the range of 5–7, while S. aureus shows a stronger pH dependence in that range. Gompertz’s model was used to fit the pH dependence of the growth kinetics of the two bacteria and showed that the equilibrium bacterial count of S. aureus was the more sensitive parameter. The switch in growth rate happens at a pH of 6.5–7. Our studies are in line with the general hypothesis that keeping the skin pH within an acidic range is advantageous in terms of keeping the skin microbiome in balance and maintaining healthy skin.

scholarly journals Molecular Investigation of Fibronectin-Binding Protein Genes and Capacity of Biofilm Production in Staphylococcus Aureus Isolated From Clinical Samples

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hossein Jafari Soghondicolaei ◽  
Mohammad Ahanjan ◽  
Mehrdad Gholami ◽  
Bahman Mirzaei ◽  
Hamid Reza Goli
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Colorimetric Assay ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Diffusion Method ◽  
Clinical Samples ◽  
Biofilm Production ◽  
Fibronectin Binding Protein ◽  
Fibronectin Binding

Abstract Biofilm production increases Staphylococcus aureus resistance to antibiotics and also host defense mechanisms. The current study aims to evaluate the biofilm formation by S. aureus and to determine the prevalence of fibronectin-binding protein genes, also its correlation with drug resistance. In this study, 100 clinical isolates of S. aureus were collected. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates was evaluated by the disk agar diffusion method. The ability of biofilm formation in the studied isolates was also determined by microplate colorimetric assay. Then, all isolates were screened by polymerase chain reaction for the fnbA and fnbB genes. Out of 100 clinical isolates of S. aureus, the highest and lowest antibiotic resistance rates were against penicillin (94%) and vancomycin (6%). Thirty-two cases were found to be multi-drug resistant (MDR) among the all strains. The ability of biofilm production was observed in 89% of the isolates. The PCR results showed that the prevalence of fnbA and fnbB genes were 91% and 17%, respectively. Moreover, 100% and 21.8% of the MDR strains harbored the fnbA and fnbB genes respectively. The ability to form biofilm in MDR isolates of S. aureus is more than non-MDR isolates, especially fnbA positive ones. As the bacteria in the biofilm are difficult to kill by antibiotics, attention to the removal or control of the biofilm production seems to be necessary.

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