Genomic Drivers of Biofilm Formation in Salmonella Enteritidis and S. Kentucky from Poultry Production

Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) remains a leading cause of human illness worldwide, and its persistence in poultry environments might be partially attributed to their ability to form biofilm. This study compared the biofilm capacity of 15 SE and 24 Salmonella Kentucky (SK) isolates from poultry products and processing facilities to uncover genetic factors driving biofilm heterogeneity. Biofilm formation and curli/cellulose production were evaluated at 20-22 °C. Genomic analyses included phylogenetic reconstruction, comparative system profiling, SNP variation, and BLASTp v2.17.0 comparisons. Phenotypic assays showed that most SE isolates (73%) were strong biofilm formers, while the majority of SK isolates (62%) failed to form biofilms, despite many carrying the complete curli-cellulose gene set and other biofilm-associated genes. Genomic analysis identified 124 biofilm-related genes, 108 of which were conserved across all isolates, and revealed 24 variants with potential functional impact. Mutations in cellulose biosynthesis (bcs) genes were linked to weaker biofilms, whereas nonsynonymous variants in tol family genes may impair flagellar biosynthesis and matrix stability. These findings demonstrate that genetic variation, not just gene presence, shapes biofilm phenotypes and highlight key molecular targets that may explain why SE persists in poultry production while SK is less successful.