title: Conjugative plasmid transfer and adhesion dynamics in an Escherichia coli biofilm.
abstract: A conjugative plasmid from the catheter-associated urinary tract infection strain Escherichia coli MS2027 was sequenced and annotated. This 42,644-bp plasmid, designated pMAS2027, contains 58 putative genes and is most closely related to plasmids belonging to incompatibility group X (IncX1). Plasmid pMAS2027 encodes two important virulence factors: type 3 fimbriae and a type IV secretion (T4S) system. Type 3 fimbriae, recently found to be functionally expressed in E. coli, played an important role in biofilm formation. Biofilm formation by E. coli MS2027 was specifically due to expression of type 3 fimbriae and not the T4S system. The T4S system, however, accounted for the conjugative ability of pMAS2027 and enabled a non-biofilm-forming strain to grow as part of a mixed biofilm following acquisition of this plasmid. Thus, the importance of conjugation as a mechanism to spread biofilm determinants was demonstrated. Conjugation may represent an important mechanism by which type 3 fimbria genes are transferred among the Enterobacteriaceae that cause device-related infections in nosocomial settings.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Cheryl-Lynn Y
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Beatson
authors.forename: Alastair G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: McEwan
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schembri
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D055499:Catheter-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D023061:Gene Order; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010957:Plasmids; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; C026742:plastin