title: Pseudomonas aeruginosa forms biofilms in acute infection independent of cell-to-cell signaling.
abstract: Biofilms are bacterial communities residing within a polysaccharide matrix that are associated with persistence and antibiotic resistance in chronic infections. We show that the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa forms biofilms within 8 h of infection in thermally injured mice, demonstrating that biofilms contribute to bacterial colonization in acute infections as well. Using light, electron, and confocal scanning laser microscopy, P. aeruginosa biofilms were visualized within burned tissue surrounding blood vessels and adipose cells. Although quorum sensing (QS), a bacterial signaling mechanism, coordinates differentiation of biofilms in vitro, wild-type and QS-deficient P. aeruginosa strains formed similar biofilms in vivo. Our findings demonstrate that P. aeruginosa forms biofilms on specific host tissues independently of QS.
authors.affiliation: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Department of Surgery, 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA.
authors.forename: J Andy
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Schaber
authors.forename: W Jeffrey
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Triffo
authors.forename: Sang Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Jeffrey W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: Mary Catherine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hastert
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Griswold
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Auer
authors.forename: Abdul N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Hamood
authors.forename: Kendra P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Rumbaugh
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000382:microbiology; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000502:physiology