Evaluation of intraspecies interactions in biofilm formation by Methylobacterium species isolated from pink-pigmented household biofilms.
Concern regarding household biofilms has grown due to their widespread existence and potential to threaten human health by serving as pathogen reservoirs. Previous studies identified Methylobacterium as one of the dominant genera found in household biofilms. In the present study, we examined the mechanisms underlying biofilm formation by using the bacterial consortium found in household pink slime. A clone library analysis revealed that Methylobacterium was the predominant genus in household pink slime. In addition, 16 out of 21 pink-pigmented bacterial isolates were assigned to the genus Methylobacterium. Although all of the Methylobacterium isolates formed low-level biofilms, the amount of the biofilms formed by Methylobacterium sp. P-1M and P-18S was significantly increased by co-culturing with other Methylobacterium strains that belonged to a specific phylogenetic group. The single-species biofilm was easily washed from the glass surface, whereas the dual-species biofilm strongly adhered after washing. A confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis showed that the dual-species biofilms were significantly thicker and tighter than the single-species biofilms.
Department of Material and Environmental Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Utsunomiya University, 7-1-2 Yoto, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 321-8585, Japan; Laboratory for Food Safety and Environmental Technology, Institutes of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; JST, CREST, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi 332-0012, Japan.
Fang-Fang
FF
Xu
Tomohiro
T
Morohoshi
Wen-Zhao
WZ
Wang
Yuka
Y
Yamaguchi
Yan
Y
Liang
Tsukasa
T
Ikeda
D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D006801:Humans; D020580:Methylobacterium / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D056265:Microbial Interactions; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000032:analysis; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S