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Released products of pathogenic bacteria stimulate biofilm formation by Escherichia coli K-12 strains

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Abstract

It has recently been shown that pathogens with a limited capacity for sessile growth (like some Escherichia coli O157 strains) can benefit from the presence of other bacteria and form mixed biofilms with companion strains. This study addresses the question whether pathogens may influence attached growth of E. coli non-pathogenic strains via secreted factors. We compared the biofilm-modulating effects of sterile stationary-phase culture media of a biofilm non-producing strain of E. coli O157:H, a laboratory biofilm-producing E. coli K-12 strain and a biofilm-forming strain of the pathogen Yersina enterocolitica O:3. Sessile growth was monitored as biomass (crystal violet assay), exopolysaccharide (ELLA) and morphology (scanning electron and confocal laser microscopy). With two of the E. coli K-12 strains stimulation of biofilm formation by all supernatants was achieved, but only the pathogens’ secreted products induced biomass increase in some ‘biofilm-deficient’ K-12 strains. Lectin-peroxidase labeling indicated changes in colanic acid and poly-N-acetylglucosamine amounts in extracellular matrices. The contribution of indole, protein and polysaccharide to the biofilm-modulating activities of the supernatants was compared. Indole, in concentrations equal to those established in the supernatants, suppressed sessile growth in one K-12 strain. Proteinase K significantly reduced the stimulatory effects of all supernatants, indicating a prominent role of protein/peptide factor(s) in biofilm promotion. The amount of released polysaccharides (rPS) in the supernatants was quantitated then comparable quantities of isolated rPS were applied during biofilm growth. The three rPS had notable strain-specific effects with regard to both the strain-source of the rPS and the E. coli K-12 target strain.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Research Fund, Republic of Bulgaria, Contract DO02-301. The purchase of the CLSM facility due to Contract IFS-B-603, and the access to a novel SEM facility due to Contract DO02-56 with the National Research Fund, Republic of Bulgaria, is thankfully acknowledged. Thanks are due to Mr O. Stoitsov, MA in English language, for corrections of the English text.

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  1. Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 26, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Anna Vacheva, Radka Ivanova, Tsvetelina Paunova-Krasteva & Stoyanka Stoitsova

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  1. Anna Vacheva
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  2. Radka Ivanova
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  3. Tsvetelina Paunova-Krasteva
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  4. Stoyanka Stoitsova
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Correspondence to Stoyanka Stoitsova.

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Vacheva, A., Ivanova, R., Paunova-Krasteva, T. et al. Released products of pathogenic bacteria stimulate biofilm formation by Escherichia coli K-12 strains. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 102, 105–119 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10482-012-9718-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10482-012-9718-y

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