title: Low metabolic activity of biofilm formed byEnterococcus faecalisisolated from healthy humans and wild mallards(Anas platyrhynchos).
abstract: It is widely known thatEnterococcus faecalisvirulence is related to its biofilm formation. Although Enterococci are common commensal organisms of the gastrointestinal tract, the difference between commensal and pathogen strains remain unclear. In this study, we compare the biochemical profile of the biofilms formed by two groups of medical and two groups of commensal strains. The medical strains were isolated as pathogens from infections of urinary tract and other infections (wounds, pus and bedsores), and the commensal strains were taken from faeces of healthy volunteers and faeces of wild mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) living in an urban environment. The properties of biofilms formed by medical and commensal strains differed significantly. Commensal strains showed lower metabolic activity and glucose uptake and higher biofilm biomass than the medical ones. Consistent with glucose uptake experiments, we found that the glucose dehydrogenase gene was more expressed in medical strains. These results indicate that higher metabolic activity and lower protein concentration ofE. faecaliscells within biofilms are formed during infections.
authors.affiliation: Avian Ecophysiology Unit, Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, University of Gdańsk, ul. Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Włodzimierz
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meissner
authors.forename: Tomasz A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Jarzembowski
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rzyska
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Botelho
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pałubicka
keywords: Biofilm; Enterococcus faecalis strains; Metabolic activity; Protein concentration