title: In situ measurements of viral particles diffusion inside mucoid biofilms.
abstract: Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) under two-photon excitation was used successfully to characterize the diffusion properties of model virus particles (bacteriophages) in bacterial biofilm of Stenotrophonas maltophilia. The results are compared to those obtained with fluorescent latex beads used as a reference. The FCS data clearly demonstrated the possibility for viral particles to penetrate inside the exopolymeric matrix of mucoid biofilms, and hence to benefit from its protective effect toward antimicrobials (antibiotics and biocides). Microbial biofilms should hence be considered as potential reservoirs of pathogenic viruses, and are probably responsible for numerous persistent viral infections.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de photophysique moléculaire, UPR 3361, fédération LUMAT, université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay, France.
authors.forename: Pascaline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lacroix-Gueu
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Briandet
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lévêque-Fort
authors.forename: Marie-Noëlle
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Bellon-Fontaine
authors.forename: Marie-Pierre
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Fontaine-Aupart
mesh_terms: D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000502:physiology*; D018441:Biofilms; D004058:Diffusion; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007700:Kinetics; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D020588:Stenotrophomonas / Q000821:virology*; D018406:Virus Physiological Phenomena