title: Biofilm assembly becomes crystal clear - filamentous bacteriophage organize thePseudomonas aeruginosabiofilm matrix into a liquid crystal.
abstract: Pseudomonas aeruginosais an opportunistic bacterial pathogen associated with many types of chronic infection. At sites of chronic infection, such as the airways of people with cystic fibrosis (CF),P. aeruginosaforms biofilm-like aggregates. These are clusters of bacterial cells encased in a polymer-rich matrix that shields bacteria from environmental stresses and antibiotic treatment. WhenP. aeruginosaforms a biofilm, large amounts of filamentous Pf bacteriophage (phage) are produced. Unlike most phage that typically lyse and kill their bacterial hosts, filamentous phage of the genus Inovirus, which includes Pf phage, often do not, and instead are continuously extruded from the bacteria. Here, we discuss the implications of the accumulation of filamentous Pf phage in the biofilm matrix, where they interact with matrix polymers to organize the biofilm into a highly ordered liquid crystal. This structural configuration promotes bacterial adhesion, desiccation survival, and antibiotic tolerance - all features typically associated with biofilms. We propose that Pf phage make structural contributions toP. aeruginosabiofilms and that this constitutes a novel form of symbiosis between bacteria and bacteriophage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Secor
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Laura K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Lia A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Michaels
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Johanna M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sweere
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Pradeep K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Parks
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Paul L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Bollyky
keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa; biofilm; chronic infection; cystic fibrosis; filamentous bacteriophage; liquid crystal; soft matter physics