title: Staphylococcus epidermidis Affinity for Fibrinogen-Coated Surfaces Correlates with the Abundance of the SdrG Adhesin on the Cell Surface.
abstract: Staphylococcus epidermidis is a world-leading pathogen in healthcare facilities, mainly causing medical device-associated infections. These nosocomial diseases often result in complications such as bacteremia, fibrosis, or peritonitis. The virulence of S. epidermidis relies on its ability to colonize surfaces and develop thereupon in the form of biofilms. Bacterial adherence on biomaterials, usually covered with plasma proteins after implantation, is a critical step leading to biofilm infections. The cell surface protein SdrG mediates adhesion of S. epidermidis to fibrinogen (Fg) through a specific "dock, lock, and latch" mechanism, which results in greatly stabilized protein-ligand complexes. Here, we combine single-molecule, single-cell, and whole population assays to investigate the extent to which the surface density of SdrG determines the ability of S. epidermidis clinical strains HB, ATCC 35984, and ATCC 12228 to bind to Fg-coated surfaces. Strains that showed enhanced adhesion on Fg-coated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were characterized by increased amounts of SdrG proteins on the cell surface, as observed by single-molecule analysis. Consistent with previous reports showing increased expression of SdrG following in vivo exposure, this work provides direct evidence that abundance of SdrG on the cell surface of S. epidermidis strains dramatically improves their ability to bind to Fg-coated implanted medical devices.
authors.affiliation: †Laboratory of Food and Environmental Microbiology, Earth and Life Institute (ELI) and ‡ Institute of Life Sciences, Université catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vanzieleghem
authors.affiliation: †Laboratory of Food and Environmental Microbiology, Earth and Life Institute (ELI) and ‡ Institute of Life Sciences, Université catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Herman-Bausier
authors.affiliation: †Laboratory of Food and Environmental Microbiology, Earth and Life Institute (ELI) and ‡ Institute of Life Sciences, Université catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Yves F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Dufrene
authors.affiliation: †Laboratory of Food and Environmental Microbiology, Earth and Life Institute (ELI) and ‡ Institute of Life Sciences, Université catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mahillon
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D010316:Particle Size; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C112556:Fbe protein, bacteria; D005340:Fibrinogen