Insights on Klebsiella pneumoniae Biofilms Assembled on Different Surfaces Using Phenotypic and Genotypic Approaches

Bibliographic Details
Title: Insights on Klebsiella pneumoniae Biofilms Assembled on Different Surfaces Using Phenotypic and Genotypic Approaches
Authors: Maria Bandeira, Vítor Borges, João P. Gomes, Aida Duarte, Luisa Jordao
Source: Microorganisms, Vol 5, Iss 2, p 16 (2017)
Publisher Information: MDPI AG, 2017.
Publication Year: 2017
Collection: LCC:Biology (General)
Subject Terms: biofilms, Klebsiella pneumoniae, electron microscopy, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), whole genome sequencing (WGS), healthcare associated infections (HAIs), Biology (General), QH301-705.5
More Details: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a prominent etiological agent of healthcare associated infections (HAIs). In this context, multidrug-resistant and biofilm-producing bacteria are of special public health concern due to the difficulties associated with treatment of human infections and eradication from hospital environments. Here, in order to study the impact of medical devices-associated materials on the biofilm dynamics, we performed biofilm phenotypic analyses through a classic and a new scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique for three multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates growing on polystyrene and silicone. We also applied whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to search for genetic clues underlying biofilm phenotypic differences. We found major differences in the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) content among the three strains, which were further corroborated by in-depth EPS composition analysis. WGS analysis revealed a high nucleotide similarity within the core-genome, but relevant differences in the accessory genome that may account for the detected biofilm phenotypic dissimilarities, such as genes already associated with biofilm formation in other pathogenic bacteria (e.g., genes coding haemogglutinins and haemolysins). These data reinforce that the research efforts to defeat bacterial biofilms should take into account that their dynamics may be contingent on the medical devices-associated materials.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2076-2607
Relation: http://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/5/2/16; https://doaj.org/toc/2076-2607
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms5020016
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/7d1e65670af649378a5dea4e9c494c57
Accession Number: edsdoj.7d1e65670af649378a5dea4e9c494c57
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:20762607
DOI:10.3390/microorganisms5020016
Published in:Microorganisms
Language:English