An Electrostatic Net Model for the Role of Extracellular DNA in Biofilm Formation by Staphylococcus aureus.

ABSTRACT:

Unlabelled

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen that can form biofilms on various surfaces. These cell communities are protected from the environment by a self-produced extracellular matrix composed of proteins, DNA, and polysaccharide. The exact compositions and roles of the different components are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the role of extracellular DNA (eDNA) and its interaction with the recently identified cytoplasmic proteins that have a moonlighting role in the biofilm matrix. These matrix proteins associate with the cell surface upon the drop in pH that naturally occurs during biofilm formation, and we found here that this association is independent of eDNA. Conversely, the association of eDNA with the matrix was dependent on matrix

SUBMITTER: Dengler V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4652055 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature