This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Adams, J. L.
Right arrow Articles by McLean, R. J. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Adams, J. L.
Right arrow Articles by McLean, R. J. C.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Adams, J. L.
Right arrow Articles by McLean, R. J. C.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 1999, p. 4285-4287, Vol. 65, No. 9
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Impact of rpoS Deletion on Escherichia coli Biofilms

Jennifer L. Adamsdagger and Robert J. C. McLean*

Department of Biology, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas 78666-4616

Received 24 March 1999/Accepted 18 June 1999

Slow growth has been hypothesized to be an essential aspect of bacterial physiology within biofilms. In order to test this hypothesis, we employed two strains of Escherichia coli, ZK126 (Delta lacZ rpoS+) and its isogenic Delta rpoS derivative, ZK1000. These strains were grown at two rates (0.033 and 0.0083 h-1) in a glucose-limited chemostat which was coupled either to a modified Robbins device containing plugs of silicone rubber urinary catheter material or to a glass flow cell. The presence or absence of rpoS did not significantly affect planktonic growth of E. coli. In contrast, biofilm cell density in the rpoS mutant strain (ZK1000), as measured by determining the number of CFU per square centimeter, was reduced by 50% (P < 0.05). Deletion of rpoS caused differences in biofilm cell arrangement, as seen by scanning confocal laser microscopy. In reporter gene experiments, similar levels of rpoS expression were seen in chemostat-grown planktonic and biofilm populations at a growth rate of 0.033 h-1. Overall, these studies suggest that rpoS is important for biofilm physiology.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Biology, Southwest Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666-4616. Phone: (512) 245-3365. Fax: (512) 245-8713. E-mail: RM12{at}swt.edu.

dagger Present address: Dynamac Corporation, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, September 1999, p. 4285-4287, Vol. 65, No. 9
0099-2240/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Ferrieres, L., Thompson, A., Clarke, D. J. (2009). Elevated levels of {sigma}S inhibit biofilm formation in Escherichia coli: a role for the Rcs phosphorelay. Microbiology 155: 3544-3553 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ito, A., Taniuchi, A., May, T., Kawata, K., Okabe, S. (2009). Increased Antibiotic Resistance of Escherichia coli in Mature Biofilms. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 4093-4100 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • O'May, G. A., Jacobsen, S. M., Longwell, M., Stoodley, P., Mobley, H. L. T., Shirtliff, M. E. (2009). The high-affinity phosphate transporter Pst in Proteus mirabilis HI4320 and its importance in biofilm formation. Microbiology 155: 1523-1535 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kulesus, R. R., Diaz-Perez, K., Slechta, E. S., Eto, D. S., Mulvey, M. A. (2008). Impact of the RNA Chaperone Hfq on the Fitness and Virulence Potential of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli. Infect. Immun. 76: 3019-3026 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • White-Ziegler, C. A., Um, S., Perez, N. M., Berns, A. L., Malhowski, A. J., Young, S. (2008). Low temperature (23 {degrees}C) increases expression of biofilm-, cold-shock- and RpoS-dependent genes in Escherichia coli K-12. Microbiology 154: 148-166 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Gualdi, L., Tagliabue, L., Landini, P. (2007). Biofilm Formation-Gene Expression Relay System in Escherichia coli: Modulation of {sigma}S-Dependent Gene Expression by the CsgD Regulatory Protein via {sigma}S Protein Stabilization. J. Bacteriol. 189: 8034-8043 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Goller, C., Wang, X., Itoh, Y., Romeo, T. (2006). The Cation-Responsive Protein NhaR of Escherichia coli Activates pgaABCD Transcription, Required for Production of the Biofilm Adhesin Poly-{beta}-1,6-N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine. J. Bacteriol. 188: 8022-8032 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Lynch, S. V., Mukundakrishnan, K., Benoit, M. R., Ayyaswamy, P. S., Matin, A. (2006). Escherichia coli Biofilms Formed under Low-Shear Modeled Microgravity in a Ground-Based System. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 7701-7710 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hilton, T., Rosche, T., Froelich, B., Smith, B., Oliver, J. (2006). Capsular Polysaccharide Phase Variation in Vibrio vulnificus. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 6986-6993 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Davey, M. E., Duncan, M. J. (2006). Enhanced Biofilm Formation and Loss of Capsule Synthesis: Deletion of a Putative Glycosyltransferase in Porphyromonas gingivalis.. J. Bacteriol. 188: 5510-5523 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Alvarez, B., Secades, P., Prieto, M., McBride, M. J., Guijarro, J. A. (2006). A Mutation in Flavobacterium psychrophilum tlpB Inhibits Gliding Motility and Induces Biofilm Formation.. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 4044-4053 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Mathew, R., Mukherjee, R., Balachandar, R., Chatterji, D. (2006). Deletion of the rpoZ gene, encoding the {omega} subunit of RNA polymerase, results in pleiotropic surface-related phenotypes in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Microbiology 152: 1741-1750 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Viswanathan, P., Singer, M., Kroos, L. (2006). Role of {sigma}D in Regulating Genes and Signals during Myxococcus xanthus Development. J. Bacteriol. 188: 3246-3256 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Beloin, C., Michaelis, K., Lindner, K., Landini, P., Hacker, J., Ghigo, J.-M., Dobrindt, U. (2006). The Transcriptional Antiterminator RfaH Represses Biofilm Formation in Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 188: 1316-1331 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Barak, J. D., Gorski, L., Naraghi-Arani, P., Charkowski, A. O. (2005). Salmonella enterica Virulence Genes Are Required for Bacterial Attachment to Plant Tissue. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71: 5685-5691 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Lacour, S., Landini, P. (2004). {sigma}S-Dependent Gene Expression at the Onset of Stationary Phase in Escherichia coli: Function of {sigma}S-Dependent Genes and Identification of Their Promoter Sequences. J. Bacteriol. 186: 7186-7195 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Pysz, M. A., Conners, S. B., Montero, C. I., Shockley, K. R., Johnson, M. R., Ward, D. E., Kelly, R. M. (2004). Transcriptional Analysis of Biofilm Formation Processes in the Anaerobic, Hyperthermophilic Bacterium Thermotoga maritima. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 6098-6112 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Vieira, H. L. A., Freire, P., Arraiano, C. M. (2004). Effect of Escherichia coli Morphogene bolA on Biofilms. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70: 5682-5684 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wang, X., Preston, J. F. III, Romeo, T. (2004). The pgaABCD Locus of Escherichia coli Promotes the Synthesis of a Polysaccharide Adhesin Required for Biofilm Formation. J. Bacteriol. 186: 2724-2734 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Prouty, A. M., Gunn, J. S. (2003). Comparative Analysis of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Biofilm Formation on Gallstones and on Glass. Infect. Immun. 71: 7154-7158 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Curtin, J., Cormican, M., Fleming, G., Keelehan, J., Colleran, E. (2003). Linezolid Compared with Eperezolid, Vancomycin, and Gentamicin in an In Vitro Model of Antimicrobial Lock Therapy for Staphylococcus epidermidis Central Venous Catheter-Related Biofilm Infections. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 47: 3145-3148 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Finelli, A., Gallant, C. V., Jarvi, K., Burrows, L. L. (2003). Use of In-Biofilm Expression Technology To Identify Genes Involved in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Development. J. Bacteriol. 185: 2700-2710 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Luppens, S. B. I., Reij, M. W., van der Heijden, R. W. L., Rombouts, F. M., Abee, T. (2002). Development of a Standard Test To Assess the Resistance of Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Cells to Disinfectants. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 4194-4200 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Jackson, D. W., Simecka, J. W., Romeo, T. (2002). Catabolite Repression of Escherichia coli Biofilm Formation. J. Bacteriol. 184: 3406-3410 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Donlan, R. M., Costerton, J. W. (2002). Biofilms: Survival Mechanisms of Clinically Relevant Microorganisms. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 15: 167-193 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Heydorn, A., Ersboll, B., Kato, J., Hentzer, M., Parsek, M. R., Tolker-Nielsen, T., Givskov, M., Molin, S. (2002). Statistical Analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Development: Impact of Mutations in Genes Involved in Twitching Motility, Cell-to-Cell Signaling, and Stationary-Phase Sigma Factor Expression. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 68: 2008-2017 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Vilain, S., Cosette, P., Junter, G.-A., Jouenne, T. (2002). Phosphate deprivation is associated with high resistance to latamoxef of gel-entrapped, sessile-like Escherichia coli cells. J Antimicrob Chemother 49: 315-320 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Jackson, D. W., Suzuki, K., Oakford, L., Simecka, J. W., Hart, M. E., Romeo, T. (2002). Biofilm Formation and Dispersal under the Influence of the Global Regulator CsrA of Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 184: 290-301 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Rajkumari, K., Gowrishankar, J. (2001). In Vivo Expression from the RpoS-Dependent P1 Promoter of the Osmotically Regulated proU Operon in Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium: Activation by rho and hns Mutations and by Cold Stress. J. Bacteriol. 183: 6543-6550 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Heydorn, A., Nielsen, A. T., Hentzer, M., Sternberg, C., Givskov, M., Ersbøll, B. K., Molin, S. (2000). Quantification of biofilm structures by the novel computer program COMSTAT. Microbiology 146: 2395-2407 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Heydorn, A., Ersbøll, B. K., Hentzer, M., Parsek, M. R., Givskov, M., Molin, S. (2000). Experimental reproducibility in flow-chamber biofilms. Microbiology 146: 2409-2415 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»