title: Transferrin ImpactsBacillus thuringiensisBiofilm Levels.
abstract: The present study examined the impact of transferrin onBacillus thuringiensisbiofilms. Three commercial strains, an environmental strain (33679), the type strain (10792), and an isolate from a diseased insect (700872), were cultured in iron restricted minimal medium. All strains produced biofilm when grown in vinyl plates at 30°C.B. thuringiensis33679 had a biofilm biomass more than twice the concentration exhibited by the other strains. The addition of transferrin resulted in slightly increased growth yields for 2 of the 3 strains tested, including 33679. In contrast, the addition of 50μg/mL of transferrin resulted in an 80% decrease in biofilm levels for strain 33679. When the growth temperature was increased to 37°C, the addition of 50μg/mL of transferrin increased culture turbidity for only strain 33679. Biofilm levels were again decreased in strain 33679 at 37°C. Growth ofB. thuringiensiscultures in polystyrene resulted in a decrease in overall growth yields at 30°C, with biofilm levels significantly decreased for 33679 in the presence of transferrin. These findings demonstrate that transferrin impacts biofilm formation in select strains ofB. thuringiensis. Identification of these differences in biofilm regulation may be beneficial in elucidating potential virulence mechanisms among the differing strains.
authors.affiliation: Tougaloo College, 500 West County Line Road, Tougaloo, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8994-0394
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Garner
authors.affiliation: Tougaloo College, 500 West County Line Road, Tougaloo, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Elrica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Tougaloo College, 500 West County Line Road, Tougaloo, MS, USA; Jackson State University, 1400 John R. Lynch Street, Jackson, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taplin
authors.affiliation: Tougaloo College, 500 West County Line Road, Tougaloo, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Tougaloo College, 500 West County Line Road, Tougaloo, MS, USA.
authors.forename: Baracka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Williams-Mapp
mesh_terms: D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000502:physiology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*; D014168:Transferrin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014168:Transferrin