title: Mechanobiology of Antimicrobial Resistant Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua.
abstract: A majority of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in the United States are associated with biofilms. Nanoscale biophysical measures are increasingly revealing that adhesive and viscoelastic properties of bacteria play essential roles across multiple stages of biofilm development. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) applied to strains with variation in antimicrobial resistance enables new opportunities for investigating the function of adhesive forces (stickiness) in biofilm formation. AFM force spectroscopy analysis of a field strain of Listeria innocua and the strain Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655 revealed differing adhesive forces between antimicrobial resistant and nonresistant strains. Significant increases in stickiness were found at the nanonewton level for strains of Listeria innocua and Escherichia coli in association with benzalkonium chloride and silver nanoparticle resistance respectively. This advancement in the usage of AFM provides for a fast and reliable avenue for analyzing antimicrobial resistant cells and the molecular dynamics of biofilm formation as a protective mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nanoscience, Joint School for Nanoscience & Nanoengineering, Greensboro, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tajkarimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Scott H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: Department of Nanoengineering, Joint School for Nanoscience & Nanoengineering, North Carolina A&T State University & UNC Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Albert M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Joseph L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Graves
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D048168:Escherichia coli K12 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008087:Listeria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012834:Silver / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds; D012834:Silver