title: Subinhibitory arsenite concentrations lead to population dispersal in Thiomonas sp.
abstract: Biofilms represent the most common microbial lifestyle, allowing the survival of microbial populations exposed to harsh environmental conditions. Here, we show that the biofilm development of a bacterial species belonging to the Thiomonas genus, frequently found in arsenic polluted sites and playing a key role in arsenic natural remediation, is markedly modified when exposed to subinhibitory doses of this toxic element. Indeed, arsenite [As(III)] exposure led to a considerable impact on biofilm maturation by strongly increasing the extracellular matrix synthesis and by promoting significant cell death and lysis within microcolonies. These events were followed by the development of complex 3D-biofilm structures and subsequently by the dispersal of remobilized cells observed inside the previously formed hollow voids. Our results demonstrate that this biofilm community responds to arsenite stress in a multimodal way, enhancing both survival and dispersal. Addressing this complex bacterial response to As(III) stress, which might be used by other microorganisms under various adverse conditions, may be essential to understand how Thiomonas strains persist in extreme environments.
authors.affiliation: Génétique Moléculaire, Génomique et Microbiologie, UMR7156 CNRS & Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marchal
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Briandet
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Halter
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koechler
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: DuBow
authors.forename: Marie-Claire
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lett
authors.forename: Philippe N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Bertin
mesh_terms: D018053:Arsenites / Q000633:toxicity*; D020562:Betaproteobacteria / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018053:Arsenites; D009696:Nucleic Acids; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C015001:arsenite