Flagella participate during Y. enterocolitica biofilm formation.

CECILIA S. M. LUCERO ESTRADA; ANA CECILIA ANZULOVICH; DI GENARO SILVIA

San Luis

Jornada; XLVII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones Bioquímicas y de Biología Molecular.; 2011

Yersinia enterocolitica (Ye) is a food-borne Gram-negative bacterium that causes gastroenteritis. The ability to form biofilms protects bacteria from various stresses. It has been demonstrated the importance of flagella in biofilm formation in other bacteria. The objective of this study was to determine if flagellar expression is involved in Ye biofilm formation. Two Y. enterocolitica strains were chosen: CLC001 (a high biofilm forming strain) and GFA003 (a weak biofilm forming strain). The biofilm ability was measured by crystal violet technique onto a 96 wells polystyrene plate. Strains were incubated in trypticase soy broth (TSB) added with 0.25% glucose at 24°C for 18, 24 and 48 h. Each time point, planktonic and sessile growth were measured and RNA was extracted and 2ug were used for RT-PCR of flagellar gene (fliA). At 24 h of culture, the strongest biofilm was formed; after that, it was weak and easy to remove; on the other hand, the planktonic growth was increasing and peaked at last time point. With CLC001 strain, the expression of fliA was higher at 24 h and it was not seen at 48 h. With GFA003 strain similar results were obtained but the expression of this gene was weaker than with CC001 strain. We concluded that Ye uses flagella during the earlier steps of biofilm formation. It is necessary more studies to know the mechanisms involved in fliA expression.