and Are Able to Incorporate and Influence Gene Expression in a Pre-Formed Biofilm

Overview

Journal Pathogens

Date 2021 Mar 6

PMID 33672647

Citations 23

Authors

Joana Castro

Aliona S Rosca

Christina A Muzny

Nuno Cerca

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is associated with a highly structured polymicrobial biofilm on the vaginal epithelium where species presumably play a pivotal role. , , and are vaginal pathogens detected during the early stages of incident BV. Herein, we aimed to analyze the impact of and on a pre-established biofilm using a novel in vitro triple-species biofilm model. Total biofilm biomass was determined by the crystal violet method. We also discriminated the bacterial populations in the biofilm and in its planktonic fraction by using PNA FISH. We further analyzed the influence of and on the expression of key virulence genes of by quantitative PCR. In our tested conditions, and were able to incorporate into pre-established biofilms but did not induce an increase in total biofilm biomass, when compared with 48-h biofilms. However, they were able to significantly influence the expression of , a gene suggested to be associated with biofilm maintenance in . This study suggests that microbial relationships between co-infecting bacteria can deeply affect the biofilm, a crucial marker of BV.

Citing Articles

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Mechanisms of S. agalactiae promoting G. vaginalis biofilm formation leading to recurrence of BV.

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Gardnerella vaginalis, Fannyhessea vaginae, and Prevotella bivia Strongly Influence Each Other's Transcriptome in Triple-Species Biofilms.

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biofilm formation of and associated with bacterial vaginosis and aerobic vaginitis.

Shang X, Bai H, Fan L, Zhang X, Zhao X, Liu Z Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2024; 14:1387414.

PMID: 38751998 PMC: 11094315. DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1387414.

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