title: The activity of silver against Escherichia coli biofilm is increased by a lipopeptide biosurfactant.
abstract: Biological contamination of surfaces, both in industry and in health care, plays an important role as a potential vector of disease transmission. Metals have been described to be effective antibiofilm agents, and the efficacy of silver ions as a disinfectant has been known for centuries. The activity of AgNO3 combined with the lipopeptide biosurfactant V9T14 has been studied against a preformed Escherichia coli biofilm on the Calgary Biofilm Device. Results indicated that the activity of silver can be synergistically enhanced by the presence of V9T14, both allowing for a reduction in the quantity of silver used and for greater antimicrobial activity. The concentration of silver needed to obtain this reduction in the silver-biosurfactant solution was from 129- to 258-fold less than the concentration of silver alone. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a synergistic interaction between a lipopeptide biosurfactant and silver has been observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Canada.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rivardo
authors.forename: Maria Giovanna
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Martinotti
authors.forename: Raymond Joseph
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ceri
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D055666:Lipopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012835:Silver Nitrate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D055666:Lipopeptides; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C550660:V9T14 lipopeptide; D012835:Silver Nitrate