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Biofilms protect Mycoplasma pulmonis cells from lytic effects of complement and gramicidin

Warren L Simmons1, Kevin Dybvig

  • 1Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, KAUL 720, Birmingham, AL 35294-0004, USA. wsimmons@uab.edu

Infection and Immunity
|May 23, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Mycoplasma pulmonis biofilms protect against host immunity. Encased in biofilms, short Vsa protein variants showed increased resistance to complement and gramicidin, unlike dispersed cells.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • The Vsa protein length in Mycoplasma pulmonis influences complement susceptibility.
  • Short Vsa variants are complement-sensitive, while long Vsa variants are resistant.
  • Mycoplasmas are generally sensitive to gramicidin, regardless of Vsa protein length.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of Mycoplasma pulmonis biofilms in protection against host immunity.
  • To determine if biofilm formation alters susceptibility to complement and gramicidin.

Main Methods:

  • Culturing Mycoplasma pulmonis with varying Vsa protein lengths.
  • Encasing mycoplasmas in biofilms and assessing resistance.
  • Comparing resistance of dispersed versus biofilm-encased mycoplasmas to complement and gramicidin.

Main Results:

  • Biofilm-encased Mycoplasma pulmonis showed enhanced resistance to complement and gramicidin compared to dispersed cells.
  • This resistance was observed in strains producing both short and long Vsa protein variants.
  • Resistance was localized to mycoplasmas within the tower structures of biofilms.

Conclusions:

  • Mycoplasma pulmonis biofilm formation is a potential mechanism for evading host immune responses.
  • Biofilms confer protection against complement-mediated killing and antimicrobial agents like gramicidin.
  • The structural organization within biofilms, specifically tower structures, may be crucial for this protective effect.

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