Biofilm formation by hyperpiliated mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Under static growth conditions, hyperpiliated, nontwitching pilT and pilU mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa formed dense biofilms, showing that adhesion, not twitching motility, is necessary for biofilm initiation. Under flow conditions, the pilT mutant formed mushroom-like structures larger than those of the wild type but the pilU mutant was defective in biofilm formation. Therefore, twitching motility affects the development of biofilm structure, possibly through modulation of detachment.
Chiang
Poney
P
Centre for Infection and Biomaterials Research, Hospital for Sick Children, and Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Burrows
Lori L
LL
D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000235:genetics; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D005898:Glass; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009068:Movement; D009154:Mutation; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000502:physiology*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D020409:Molecular Motor Proteins; C091957:PilU protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases