| Title: | Biofilm growth alters regulation of conjugation by a bacterial pheromone |
| Author(s): | Cook L; Chatterjee A; Barnes A; Yarwood J; Hu WS; Dunny G; |
| Address: | "Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA" |
| DOI: | 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2011.07786.x |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1365-2958 (Electronic) 0950-382X (Print) 0950-382X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Conjugation is an important mode of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria, enhancing the spread of antibiotic resistance. In clinical settings, biofilms are likely locations for antibiotic resistance transfer events involving nosocomial pathogens such as Enterococcus faecalis. Here we demonstrate that growth in biofilms alters the induction of conjugation by a sex pheromone in E. faecalis. Mathematical modelling suggested that a higher plasmid copy number in biofilm cells would enhance a switch-like behaviour in the pheromone response of donor cells with a delayed, but increased response to the mating signal. Alterations in plasmid copy number, and a bimodal response to induction of conjugation in populations of plasmid-containing donor cells were both observed in biofilms, consistent with the predictions of the model. The pheromone system may have evolved such that donor cells in biofilms are only induced to transfer when they are in extremely close proximity to potential recipients in the biofilm community. These results may have important implications for development of chemotherapeutic agents to block resistance transfer and treat biofilm-related clinical infections" |
| Keywords: | "Biofilms/*growth & development Conjugation, Genetic/*drug effects Enterococcus faecalis/growth & development/metabolism/*physiology Gene Dosage *Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Gene Transfer, Horizontal Models, Theoretical Pheromones/*metabolism Pla;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineCook, Laura Chatterjee, Anushree Barnes, Aaron Yarwood, Jeremy Hu, Wei-Shou Dunny, Gary eng R01 AI058134-06A1/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ T32 GM008347/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ R56 AI058134/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ R01 GM081388/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ AI058134/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ R01 GM049530/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ GM081888/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ R01 GM081388-04/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ 2T32GM0082445/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ R01 AI058134/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ GM049530/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ R01 GM049530-26A1/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ T32GM008347/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2011/08/17 Mol Microbiol. 2011 Sep; 81(6):1499-510. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2011.07786.x. Epub 2011 Aug 15" |
