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Biofilms of clinical strains of Staphylococcus that do not contain polysaccharide intercellular adhesin

Grigorij Kogan1, Irina Sadovskaya, Philippe Chaignon

  • 1Laboratoire de Recherche sur les Biomatériaux et les Biotechnologies INSERM ERI 002, Université du Littoral-Côte d'Opale, Boulogne-sur-mer, France.

FEMS Microbiology Letters
|January 27, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Certain coagulase-negative staphylococci form biofilms lacking poly-N-acetyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucosamine, a key component in Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms. These biofilms exhibit different sensitivities to dispersal agents, impacting medical implant infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Biomaterials Science

Background:

  • Coagulase-negative staphylococci, particularly Staphylococcus epidermidis, are significant causes of nosocomial infections linked to implanted medical devices.
  • The ability of Staphylococcus epidermidis to form biofilms is critical for colonizing medical implants and evading host defenses and antibiotic treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the structural composition of biofilms produced by clinical isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci.
  • To compare the biofilm composition of clinical isolates with the well-characterized model strain Staphylococcus epidermidis RP62A.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of biofilm composition from clinical isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci.
  • Treatment of biofilms with metaperiodate and proteinase K to assess structural integrity and dispersal characteristics.
  • Comparison of biofilm properties with the model strain Staphylococcus epidermidis RP62A.

Main Results:

  • Certain clinical isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci produce biofilms that lack detectable poly-N-acetyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucosamine.
  • Unlike the model strain S. epidermidis RP62A, these biofilms are resistant to dispersal by metaperiodate.
  • Proteinase K treatment results in partial dispersal of these alternative biofilms.

Conclusions:

  • The composition of staphylococcal biofilms can vary among clinical isolates, with some lacking the previously identified polysaccharide component.
  • These compositional differences influence biofilm resistance to chemical dispersal agents, suggesting diverse mechanisms in medical device-associated infections.
  • Understanding these variations is crucial for developing targeted strategies against biofilm-related infections on medical implants.

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