Title |
Molecular determinants of staphylococcal biofilm dispersal and structuring
|
---|---|
Published in |
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, November 2014
|
DOI | 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00167 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Katherine Y. Le, Sana Dastgheyb, Trung V. Ho, Michael Otto |
Abstract |
Staphylococci are frequently implicated in human infections, and continue to pose a therapeutic dilemma due to their ability to form deeply seated microbial communities, known as biofilms, on the surfaces of implanted medical devices and host tissues. Biofilm development has been proposed to occur in three stages: (1) attachment, (2) proliferation/structuring, and (3) detachment/dispersal. Although research within the last several decades has implicated multiple molecules in the roles as effectors of staphylococcal biofilm proliferation/structuring and detachment/dispersal, to date, only phenol soluble modulins (PSMs) have been consistently demonstrated to serve in this role under both in vitro and in vivo settings. PSMs are regulated directly through a density-dependent manner by the accessory gene regulator (Agr) system. They disrupt the non-covalent forces holding the biofilm extracellular matrix together, which is necessary for the formation of channels, a process essential for the delivery of nutrients to deeper biofilm layers, and for dispersal/dissemination of clusters of biofilm to distal organs in acute infection. Given their relevance in both acute and chronic biofilm-associated infections, the Agr system and the psm genes hold promise as potential therapeutic targets. |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
India | 1 | <1% |
Netherlands | 1 | <1% |
Canada | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 215 | 99% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 34 | 16% |
Student > Master | 31 | 14% |
Student > Bachelor | 28 | 13% |
Researcher | 20 | 9% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 17 | 8% |
Other | 38 | 17% |
Unknown | 50 | 23% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 52 | 24% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 40 | 18% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 25 | 11% |
Immunology and Microbiology | 22 | 10% |
Engineering | 9 | 4% |
Other | 13 | 6% |
Unknown | 57 | 26% |