title: Phosphate deprivation is associated with high resistance to latamoxef of gel-entrapped, sessile-like Escherichia coli cells.
abstract: Viable Escherichia coli cells were entrapped in agar gel layers and incubated in a phosphate-limited glucose medium. Immobilized bacteria displayed enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity and overexpressed the outer membrane protein PhoE as compared with free-floating organisms. These observations highlighted the existence of high phosphate deprivation within biofilm-like structures. In addition, the antimicrobial efficacy of latamoxef against immobilized bacteria was partly recovered in the presence of a high phosphate concentration. From these data, a possible role of phosphate deprivation in the high resistance of sessile-like organisms to antibiotics may be considered.
authors.affiliation: UMR 6522 CNRS, IFRMP 23, Faculté des Sciences de Rouen, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vilain
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cosette
authors.forename: Guy-Alain
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Junter
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jouenne
mesh_terms: D000362:Agar / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D005782:Gels; D009070:Moxalactam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D005782:Gels; D010710:Phosphates; D000362:Agar; D009070:Moxalactam