The Pseudomonas aeruginosa type III translocon is required for biofilm formation at the epithelial barrier.

ABSTRACT: Clinical infections by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a deadly Gram-negative, opportunistic pathogen of immunocompromised hosts, often involve the formation of antibiotic-resistant biofilms. Although biofilm formation has been extensively studied in vitro on glass or plastic surfaces, much less is known about biofilm formation at the epithelial barrier. We have previously shown that when added to the apical surface of polarized epithelial cells, P. aeruginosa rapidly forms cell-associated aggregates within 60 minutes of infection. By confocal microscopy we now show that cell-associated aggregates exhibit key characteristics of biofilms, including the presence of extracellular matrix and increased resistance to antibiotics compared to planktonic bacteria. Using isogenic mutants in the type III sec

SUBMITTER: Tran CS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4223071 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature