A low molecular weight component of serum inhibits biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus has a variety of genes that can influence the process of biofilm formation. The ability to establish a biofilm is an important virulence factor for this pathogen, and yet, the regulation of this process in vivo is not well understood. S. aureus can form biofilms on intravenous catheters and this process plays a key role in the pathogenesis of catheter infections. In order to investigate whether or not serum is conducive to the process of biofilm formation, we grew S. aureus in serum and analyzed biofilm thickness and expression of biofilm-related genes. Whereas serum supported planktonic bacterial growth, it was a potent inhibitor of biofilm formation. The inhibitory serum component had a molecular weight less than 3000 kDa. The component was protease-resistant and heat stable. The serum component induced a significant increase in the transcription of the intercellular adhesin gene icaA and the fibronectin binding protein gene fnbA. Transcription of other biofilm-related genes was affected in a strain-dependent manner. These results reveal that serum inhibits biofilm formation despite the fact that biofilms form on intravenous catheters. This may suggest that in vivo, biofilm formation is "selected for" by the force of blood flow and/or immune pressure rather than "induced" by serum.