title: Role of extracellular matrix protein CabA in resistance of Vibrio vulnificus biofilms to decontamination strategies.
abstract: Biofilms are recalcitrant and raise safety problems in the food industry. In this study, the role of CabA, an extracellular matrix protein, in the resistance of the biofilms of Vibrio vulnificus, a foodborne pathogen, to decontamination strategies was investigated. Biofilms of the cabA mutant revealed reduced resistance to detachment by vibration and disinfection by sodium hypochlorite compared to the biofilms of the parental wild type in vitro. The reduced resistance of the cabA mutant biofilms was complemented by introducing a recombinant cabA, indicating that the reduced resistance of the cabA mutant biofilms is caused by the inactivation of cabA. The expression of cabA was induced in cells bound to oyster, the primary vehicle of the pathogen. The cabA mutant biofilms on oyster are defective in biomass and resistance to detachment and disinfection. The bacterial cells in the wild-type biofilms are clustered by filaments which are not apparent in the cabA mutant biofilms. The combined results indicated that CabA contributes to the structural integrity of V. vulnificus biofilms possibly by forming filaments in the matrix and thus rendering the biofilms robust, suggesting that CabA could be a target to control V. vulnificus biofilms on oyster.
authors.affiliation: National Research Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Toxicology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, and Center for Food Safety and Toxicology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: National Research Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Toxicology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, and Center for Food Safety and Toxicology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.
authors.forename: Byungho
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: National Research Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Toxicology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, and Center for Food Safety and Toxicology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea.
authors.forename: Youmi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: National Research Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Toxicology, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, and Center for Food Safety and Toxicology, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea. Electronic address: choish@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Sang Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D003666:Decontamination; D004203:Disinfection / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010125:Ostreidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D012758:Shellfish / Q000382:microbiology*; D041261:Vibrio vulnificus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins
keywords: Biofilm; CabA; Decontamination strategy; Matrix protein; Vibrio vulnificus