The role of flagellum and flagellum-based motility on Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli biofilm formation
The role of flagellum and flagellum-based motility on Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli biofilm formation
Flagellum-mediated motility has been suggested to contribute to virulence by allowing bacteria to colonize and spread to new surfaces. In
Salmonella enterica and
Escherichia coli species, mutants affected by their flagellar motility have shown a reduced ability to form biofilms. While it is known that some species might act as co-aggregation factors for bacterial adhesion, studies of food-related biofilms have been limited to single-species biofilms and short biofilm formation periods. To assess the contribution of flagella and flagellum-based motility to adhesion and biofilm formation, two
Salmonella and
E. coli mutants with different flagellar phenotypes were produced: the
fliC mutants, which do not produce flagella, and the
motAB mutants, which are non-motile. The ability of wild-type and mutant strains to form biofilms was compared, and their relative fitness was determined in two-species biofilms with other foodborne pathogens. Our results showed a defective and significant behavior of
E. coli in initial surface colonization
(p < 0.05
), which delayed single-species biofilm formation.
Salmonella mutants were not affected by the ability to form biofilm (
p > 0.05). Regarding the effect of motility/flagellum absence on bacterial fitness, none of the mutant strains seems to have their relative fitness affected in the presence of a competing species. Although the absence of motility may eventually delay initial colonization, this study suggests that motility is not essential for biofilm formation and does not have a strong impact on bacteria's fitness when a competing species is present.
Escherichia coli, Salmonella, biofilm formation, fliC mutants, foodborne pathogens, motA mutants
Vilas Boas, Diana
82d5d841-9824-43de-b3ca-f072b0e994d4
Castro, Joana
63e33868-b98b-45c7-bd56-df45f4796c5e
Araújo, Daniela
e8fc9e09-67a3-4751-a65c-2571f14162d7
Nóbrega, Franklin L.
6532795d-88a4-4f05-9b26-6af5b8f21a0d
Keevil, Charles W.
cb7de0a7-ce33-4cfa-af52-07f99e5650eb
Azevedo, Nuno F.
79da2c36-313d-41a4-84a1-caaa3f6b0264
Vieira, Maria João
68560235-8ce6-4721-b780-242508ec557c
Almeida, Carina
08bcd2c4-bb43-482c-a3ed-517f5d1b9abf
February 2024
Vilas Boas, Diana
82d5d841-9824-43de-b3ca-f072b0e994d4
Castro, Joana
63e33868-b98b-45c7-bd56-df45f4796c5e
Araújo, Daniela
e8fc9e09-67a3-4751-a65c-2571f14162d7
Nóbrega, Franklin L.
6532795d-88a4-4f05-9b26-6af5b8f21a0d
Keevil, Charles W.
cb7de0a7-ce33-4cfa-af52-07f99e5650eb
Azevedo, Nuno F.
79da2c36-313d-41a4-84a1-caaa3f6b0264
Vieira, Maria João
68560235-8ce6-4721-b780-242508ec557c
Almeida, Carina
08bcd2c4-bb43-482c-a3ed-517f5d1b9abf
Vilas Boas, Diana, Castro, Joana, Araújo, Daniela, Nóbrega, Franklin L., Keevil, Charles W., Azevedo, Nuno F., Vieira, Maria João and Almeida, Carina
(2024)
The role of flagellum and flagellum-based motility on Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli biofilm formation.
Microorganisms, 12 (2), [232].
(doi:10.3390/microorganisms12020232).
Abstract
Flagellum-mediated motility has been suggested to contribute to virulence by allowing bacteria to colonize and spread to new surfaces. In
Salmonella enterica and
Escherichia coli species, mutants affected by their flagellar motility have shown a reduced ability to form biofilms. While it is known that some species might act as co-aggregation factors for bacterial adhesion, studies of food-related biofilms have been limited to single-species biofilms and short biofilm formation periods. To assess the contribution of flagella and flagellum-based motility to adhesion and biofilm formation, two
Salmonella and
E. coli mutants with different flagellar phenotypes were produced: the
fliC mutants, which do not produce flagella, and the
motAB mutants, which are non-motile. The ability of wild-type and mutant strains to form biofilms was compared, and their relative fitness was determined in two-species biofilms with other foodborne pathogens. Our results showed a defective and significant behavior of
E. coli in initial surface colonization
(p < 0.05
), which delayed single-species biofilm formation.
Salmonella mutants were not affected by the ability to form biofilm (
p > 0.05). Regarding the effect of motility/flagellum absence on bacterial fitness, none of the mutant strains seems to have their relative fitness affected in the presence of a competing species. Although the absence of motility may eventually delay initial colonization, this study suggests that motility is not essential for biofilm formation and does not have a strong impact on bacteria's fitness when a competing species is present.
Text
microorganisms-12-00232
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 17 January 2024
Published date: February 2024
Additional Information:
Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.
Keywords:
Escherichia coli, Salmonella, biofilm formation, fliC mutants, foodborne pathogens, motA mutants
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 487576
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/487576
ISSN: 2076-2607
PURE UUID: cef05ca3-415b-40e2-b8df-4f55c2052619
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 27 Feb 2024 18:27
Last modified: 22 May 2024 01:57
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Diana Vilas Boas
Author:
Joana Castro
Author:
Daniela Araújo
Author:
Nuno F. Azevedo
Author:
Maria João Vieira
Author:
Carina Almeida
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics
