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Journal article
Characterization of a Novel Regulator of Biofilm Formation in the Pathogen Legionella pneumophila
Biomolecules (Basel, Switzerland), v 12(2), 225
27 Jan 2022
PMID: 35204726
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Legionella pneumophila is a Gram-negative, facultative intracellular pathogen that causes severe pneumonia known as Legionnaires' disease. The bacterium causes disease when contaminated water is aerosolized and subsequently inhaled by individuals, which allows the bacteria to gain access to the lungs, where they infect alveolar macrophages. L. pneumophila is ubiquitous in the environment, where it survives by growing in biofilms, intracellularly within protozoa, and planktonically. Biofilms are a major concern for public health because they provide a protective niche that allows for the continuous leaching of bacteria into the water supply. In addition, biofilms enhance the survival of the bacteria by increasing resistance to temperature fluctuations and antimicrobial agents. Currently, there is little known about biofilm formation and regulation by L. pneumophila. Here, we present evidence of a specific gene, bffA, which appears to be involved in the regulation of motility, biofilm formation, cellular replication, and virulence of L. pneumophila. A strain lacking bffA has an enhanced biofilm formation phenotype, forming biofilms that are both faster and thicker than wild type. Additionally, the knockout strain has significantly reduced motility, enhanced uptake into amoebae, and altered growth kinetics on solid media. Our data suggest a potential role for bffA in signaling pathways that govern changes in growth rate and motility in response to environmental conditions.
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Details
- Title
- Characterization of a Novel Regulator of Biofilm Formation in the Pathogen Legionella pneumophila
- Creators
- Courtney Marin - Drexel UniversityOgan K. Kumova - Drexel Univ, Dept Microbiol & Immunol, Coll Med, Philadelphia, PA 19129 USAShira Ninio (Corresponding Author) - Kinneret Limnol Lab KLL, Israel Oceanog & Limnol Res IOLR, IL-14950 Migdal, Israel
- Publication Details
- Biomolecules (Basel, Switzerland), v 12(2), 225
- Publisher
- MDPI
- Number of pages
- 13
- Grant note
- 2013463 / United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF), Jerusalem, Israel; US-Israel Binational Science Foundation
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Microbiology and Immunology
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000767695500001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85123419926
- Other Identifier
- 991021860723204721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology