Cellular arrangement impacts metabolic activity and antibiotic tolerance in < i > Pseudomonas aeruginosa < /i > biofilms

In this study, we examined the microanatomy of biofilms formed by the pathogenic bacteriumPseudomonas aeruginosa and discovered that clonal cells form striations that are packed lengthwise across most of a mature biofilm ’s depth. We identified mutants, including those defective in pilus function and in O-antigen attachment, that show alterations to this lengthwise packing phenotype. Consistent with the notion that cellular arrangement affects access to resources within the biofilm, we found that while the wild ty pe shows even distribution of tested substrates across depth, the mutants show accumulation of substrates at the biofilm boundaries. Furthermore, we found that altered cellular arrangement within biofilms affects the localization of metabolic activity, the survival of resident cells, and the suscept ibility of subpopulations to antibiotic treatment. Our observations provide insight into cellular features that determine biofilm microanatomy, with consequences for physiological differentiation and drug sensitivity.

Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - February 1, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Hannah Dayton Source Type: research