title: Pluronics' influence on pseudomonad biofilm and phenazine production.
abstract: Colonization of roots by Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6 (PcO6) involves root surface coverage through surface motility and biofilm formation. Root colonization and the production of antifungal phenazines are important in the ability of the bacterium to protect plants against pathogens. In this in vitro study we report that both biofilm formation and phenazine production are differentially influenced by nutrition and the presence of polyethylene oxide/polypropylene oxide triblock copolymer surfactants (Pluronics). Such surfactants are used for many purposes including agricultural formulations. Four Pluronics differing in molecular weight and in hydrophobic/hydrophilic proportions had distinct effects on biofilm formation and secondary metabolite production, although each increased surface motility, termed swarming, to a similar extent. These findings show that Pluronics had specific metabolic impacts on the bacterium, where both up- and downregulation was achieved depending on the medium and the Pluronic composition. In environmental and agricultural settings, Pluronics may have unanticipated effects on soil microorganisms, while in bioprocessing these effects may be leveraged to regulate metabolite yield.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Engineering, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-5305, USA.
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Housley
authors.forename: Tammy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sontag
authors.forename: Song-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Britt
authors.forename: Anne J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003470:Culture Media; D009068:Movement; D010619:Phenazines / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D020442:Poloxamer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D010619:Phenazines; D020442:Poloxamer