Clostridioides difficile biofilms: A mechanism of persistence in the gut?

C. difficile forms biofilms in vitro Biofilm formation by C. difficile was first reported by Donelli and colleagues where they identified the role of polymicrobial biofilms in clogging of biliary stents using confocal and field emission scanning electron microscopy [4]. Mutants deficient in stress-r...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:PLoS pathogens 2021-03, Vol.17 (3), p.e1009348-e1009348
Main Authors: Frost, Lucy R, Cheng, Jeffrey K J, Unnikrishnan, Meera
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antibiotics
Antimicrobial agents
Biofilms
Biology and Life Sciences
Clostridium difficile
Clostridium infections
Development and progression
Digestive organs
DnaK protein
Drug resistance
Field emission microscopy
Gene expression
Health aspects
Heat stress
Heat tolerance
Implants
Infections
Medicine and Health Sciences
Metronidazole
Microbial mats
Microbiota
Pearls
Physiological aspects
Proteins
Research and Analysis Methods
Scanning electron microscopy
SOS response
Vancomycin
Virulence
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:C. difficile forms biofilms in vitro Biofilm formation by C. difficile was first reported by Donelli and colleagues where they identified the role of polymicrobial biofilms in clogging of biliary stents using confocal and field emission scanning electron microscopy [4]. Mutants deficient in stress-related proteins including the SOS response regulator, LexA, the RNA chaperone, Hfq, and the heat stress-associated chaperone, DnaK, have been associated with increased biofilm formation [8–10]. In a recent global gene expression analysis of microfermentor biofilms, several genes controlled by the SinR-like regulators CD2214 and CD2215, including pilA1, were differentially expressed in biofilms, although pilA1 appeared to contribute to biofilm/aggregate formation only in c-di-GMP overexpressing strains [12]. [...]C. difficile forms complex biofilms in vitro which involves multiple regulatory pathways and several virulence-associated proteins. Paradoxically, subinhibitory concentrations of metronidazole and vancomycin induced biofilm formation and seemingly reduced antibiotic susceptibility [5,18]. [...]it is possible that low levels of antibiotics could induce C. difficile biofilm production, thus promoting persistence and recurrence of infection.
ISSN:1553-7374
1553-7366
1553-7374
DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1009348