A biofilm-tropic <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> bacteriophage uses the exopolysaccharide Psl as receptor.

ABSTRACT: Bacteria in nature can exist in multicellular communities called biofilms. Biofilms also form in the course of many infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections frequently involve biofilms, which contribute materially to the difficulty to treat these infections with antibiotic therapy. Many biofilm-related characteristics are controlled by the second messenger, cyclic-di-GMP, which is upregulated on surface contact. Among these factors is the exopolysaccharide Psl, which is a critically important component of the biofilm matrix. Here we describe the discovery of a P. aeruginosa bacteriophage, which we have called Clew-1, that directly binds to and uses Psl as a receptor. While this phage does not efficiently infect planktonically growing bacteria, it can disrupt P. aerugi

SUBMITTER: Walton B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11343166 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature