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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Quorum-sensing systems LuxS/Autoinducer 2 and com regulate Streptococcus pneumoniae biofilms in a bioreactor with living cultures of human respiratory cells
Infection and Immunity, Volume 81, No. 4, Year 2013
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Description
Streptococcus pneumoniae forms organized biofilms in the human upper respiratory tract that may play an essential role in both persistence and acute respiratory infection. However, the production and regulation of biofilms on human cells is not yet fully understood. In this work, we developed a bioreactor with living cultures of human respiratory epithelial cells (HREC) and a continuous flow of nutrients, mimicking the microenvironment of the human respiratory epithelium, to study the production and regulation of S. pneumoniae biofilms (SPB). SPB were also produced under static conditions on immobilized HREC. Our experiments demonstrated that the biomass of SPB increased significantly when grown on HREC compared to the amount on abiotic surfaces. Additionally, pneumococcal strains produced more early biofilms on lung cells than on pharyngeal cells. Utilizing the bioreactor or immobilized human cells, the production of early SPB was found to be regulated by two quorum-sensing systems, Com and LuxS/AI-2, since a mutation in either comC or luxS rendered the pneumococcus unable to produce early biofilms on HREC. Interestingly, while LuxS/autoinducer 2 (AI-2) regulated biofilms on both HREC and abiotic surfaces, Com control was specific for those structures produced on HREC. The biofilm phenotypes of strain D39-derivative δcomC and δluxS QS mutants were reversed by genetic complementation. Of note, SPB formed on immobilized HREC and incubated under static conditions were completely lysed 24 h postinoculation. Biofilm lysis was also regulated by the Com and LuxS/AI-2 quorum-sensing systems. © 2013, American Society for Microbiology.
Authors & Co-Authors
Vidal, Jorge E.
United States, Atlanta
Emory University
Ludewick, Herbert P.
United States, Atlanta
Emory University
Nava-Domínguez, Porfirio
United States, Atlanta
Emory University
Mexico, Mexico
Instituto Politécnico Nacional
Klugman, K. P.
United States, Atlanta
Emory University
Statistics
Citations: 63
Authors: 4
Affiliations: 2
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1128/IAI.01096-12
ISSN:
10985522
Research Areas
Cancer
Genetics And Genomics
Infectious Diseases