Escherichia coli harboring a natural IncF conjugative F plasmid develops complex mature biofilms by stimulating synthesis of colanic acid and Curli.

ABSTRACT: It has been shown that Escherichia coli harboring the derepressed IncFI and IncFII conjugative F plasmids form complex mature biofilms by using their F-pilus connections, whereas a plasmid-free strain forms only patchy biofilms. Therefore, in this study we investigated the contribution of a natural IncF conjugative F plasmid to the formation of E. coli biofilms. Unlike the presence of a derepressed F plasmid, the presence of a natural IncF F plasmid promoted biofilm formation by generating the cell-to-cell mating F pili between pairs of F(+) cells (approximately two to four pili per cell) and by stimulating the formation of colanic acid and curli meshwork. Formation of colanic acid and curli was required after the initial deposition of F-pilus connections to generate a three-dimensional mu

SUBMITTER: May T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2576669 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature