Temporal dynamics of gene expression during the development of Campylobacter jejuni biofilms

Campylobacter jejuni, an important pathogen of bacterial gastrointestinal infections, forms biofilms that enable its survival in different environments. C. jejuni biofilm development is still poorly understood, and thus, in this study, we characterized gene expression changes at different biofilm stages using RNA sequencing. Early biofilms (after 16 and 24 h) showed increased expressions of genes involved in cysteine and methionine metabolism, whereas mature biofilms (after 48 and 72 h) showed decreased expression of genes encoding capsular polysaccharides and lipooligosaccharides. Both early and mature biofilms showed increased expressions of genes involved in flagella formation, leucine metabolism and the oxidative stress response and decreased expressions of genes involved in energy metabolism, iron acquisition and transmembrane transport. This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying C. jejuni biofilm maturation, environmental resistance and the dynamic nature of gene expression during biofilm development.