Shear force enhances adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by counteracting pilus-driven surface departure.

ABSTRACT: Fluid flow is thought to prevent bacterial adhesion, but some bacteria use adhesins with catch bond properties to enhance adhesion under high shear forces. However, many studies on bacterial adhesion either neglect the influence of shear force or use shear forces that are not typically found in natural systems. In this study, we use microfluidics and single-cell imaging to examine how the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa interacts with surfaces when exposed to shear forces typically found in the human body (0.1 pN to 10 pN). Through cell tracking, we demonstrate that the angle between the cell and the surface predicts if a cell will depart the surface. We discover that at lower shear forces, type IV pilus retraction tilts cells away from the surface, promoting surface departure

SUBMITTER: Palalay JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10197566 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature