title: Biofilm formation protects Escherichia coli against killing by Caenorhabditis elegans and Myxococcus xanthus.
abstract: Enteric bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, are exposed to a variety of stresses in the nonhost environment. The development of biofilms provides E. coli with resistance to environmental insults, such as desiccation and bleach. We found that biofilm formation, specifically production of the matrix components curli and cellulose, protected E. coli against killing by the soil-dwelling nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the predatory bacterium Myxococcus xanthus. Additionally, matrix-encased bacteria at the air-biofilm interface exhibited ∼40-fold-increased survival after C. elegans and M. xanthus killing compared to the non-matrix-encased cells that populate the interior of the biofilm. To determine if nonhost Enterobacteriaceae reservoirs supported biofilm formation, we grew E. coli on media composed of pig dung or commonly contaminated foods, such as beef, chicken, and spinach. Each of these medium types provided a nutritional environment that supported matrix production and biofilm formation. Altogether, we showed that common, nonhost reservoirs of E. coli supported the formation of biofilms that subsequently protected E. coli against predation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: DePas
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Adnan K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Syed
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sifuentes
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Warshaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Saggar
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Györgyi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Csankovszki
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
authors.forename: Blaise R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Boles
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA chapmanm@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Chapman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018441:Biofilms; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000502:physiology*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D016941:Myxococcus xanthus / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine; D014675:Vegetables / Q000382:microbiology*