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Bile Salt-induced Biofilm Formation in Enteric Pathogens: Techniques for Identification and Quantification
10:05

Bile Salt-induced Biofilm Formation in Enteric Pathogens: Techniques for Identification and Quantification

Published on: May 6, 2018

Bundle-forming pili and EspA are involved in biofilm formation by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli

Cristiano G Moreira1, Kelli Palmer, Marvin Whiteley

  • 1Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9048, USA.

Journal of Bacteriology
|May 19, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) forms biofilms using adhesins like bundle-forming pilus (BFP) and EspA. Quorum-sensing regulation also impacts EPEC biofilm development, influencing bacterial aggregation and structure.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacterial Pathogenesis
  • Biofilm Formation

Background:

  • Biofilm development is a crucial step in bacterial pathogenesis.
  • Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) utilizes adhesins for initial microcolony formation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of adhesins (BFP, EspA) and quorum-sensing (QS) in EPEC biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces.
  • To characterize EPEC biofilm formation under static and continuous culture conditions.
  • To propose a model for EPEC biofilm development.

Main Methods:

  • Assessment of biofilm formation in EPEC isogenic mutants.
  • Utilized gfp transcriptional fusions to monitor gene expression during biofilm formation.
  • Investigated the impact of quorum-sensing (QS) regulation on biofilm development.

Main Results:

  • EPEC forms biofilms on plastic surfaces under static and flowthrough conditions.
  • Bundle-forming pilus (BFP) and EspA are involved in bacterial aggregation during EPEC biofilm formation.
  • Mutants lacking BFP or EspA exhibited altered, more-diffuse biofilm structures.
  • Genes encoding BFP and EspA are expressed during biofilm formation.
  • Quorum-sensing (QS) regulates espA expression and influences EPEC biofilm architecture.

Conclusions:

  • Adhesins BFP and EspA play significant roles in EPEC biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces.
  • Quorum-sensing (QS) is an important regulatory mechanism controlling EPEC biofilm development.
  • A model for EPEC biofilm formation incorporating adhesins and QS has been proposed.

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