title: What's on the Outside Matters: The Role of the Extracellular Polymeric Substance of Gram-negative Biofilms in Evading Host Immunity and as a Target for Therapeutic Intervention.
abstract: Biofilms are organized multicellular communities encased in an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Biofilm-resident bacteria resist immunity and antimicrobials. The EPS provides structural stability and presents a barrier; however, a complete understanding of how EPS structure relates to biological function is lacking. This review focuses on the EPS of three Gram-negative pathogens: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi/Typhimurium. Although EPS proteins and polysaccharides are diverse, common constituents include extracellular DNA, DNABII (DNA binding and bending) proteins, pili, flagella, and outer membrane vesicles. The EPS biochemistry promotes recalcitrance and informs the design of therapies to reduce or eliminate biofilm burden.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210; Center for Microbial Interface Biology, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio 43205.
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Gunn
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210; Center for Microbial Interface Biology, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio 43205; Departments of Pediatrics and Otolaryngology, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210.
authors.forename: Lauren O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Bakaletz
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210; Center for Microbial Interface Biology, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio 43205; Department of Microbiology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210. Electronic address: daniel.wozniak@osumc.edu.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Wozniak
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial
keywords: DNABII; Haemophilus influenzae; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Salmonella; animal models; bacterial pathogenesis; biofilm; eDNA; extracellular matrix; matrix; neutrophil; phagocyte; pilin; polysaccharide