Projects per year
Abstract
Microorganisms are an integral part of all natural ecosystems, and as such are ubiquitous in
nature. They often live adhered to or in association with surfaces of either organic or inorganic
nature, and all surfaces will almost inevitably be colonized by microorganisms. This often results
in the formation of highly complex sessile communities, referred to as biofilms. Such microbial
communities are often highly dynamic and heterogeneous in nature. Microbial biofilms are of
great importance in a wide range of natural processes and industrial settings, from the commensal
flora of the gastrointestinal tract to the microbial flocs in waste water treatment facilities.
Microbial biofilms may however also cause a wide range of industrial and medical problems, and
have been implicated in a wide range of persistent infectious diseases, including implantassociated
microbial infections. Bacterial adhesion is the first committing step in biofilm
formation, and has therefore been intensely scrutinized. Much however, still remains elusive.
Bacterial adhesion is a highly complex process, which is influenced by a variety of factors. In
this thesis, a range of physico-chemical, molecular and environmental parameters, which
influence the transition from a planktonic lifestyle to a sessile lifestyle, have been studied.
Protein conditioning film formation was found to influence bacterial adhesion and subsequent
biofilm formation considerable, and an aqueous extract of fish muscle tissue was shown to
significantly reduce or delay bacterial biofilm formation of a range of urinary tract infectious
E.coli and Klebsiella isolates. Several other proteinaceous coatings were also found to display
anti-adhesive properties, possibly providing a measure for controlling the colonization of implant
materials. Several other parameters controlling bacterial adhesion were also studied. Subinhibitory
concentrations of certain antimicrobial compounds and several surfactants were found
to significantly affect bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation, most likely by affecting the
production of biofilm extracellular polymeric matrix components. These substances may both
mediate and stabilize the bacterial biofilm. Finally, several adhesive structures were examined,
and a novel physiological biofilm phenotype in E.coli biofilms was characterized, namely cell
chain formation. The autotransporter protein, antigen 43, was implicated in this structural biofilm
phenotype, at least in some bacterial strains. Understanding the fundamental requirements of
bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation may aid in the development of effective preventive
measures.
Original language | English |
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Number of pages | 122 |
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Publication status | Published - Aug 2008 |
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Dive into the research topics of 'Bacterial Adhesion & Blocking Bacterial Adhesion'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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Blokering af Bakteriel Adhæsion!!! "Antifouling Fish-Redusing Bacterialm Contamination during Food Production and Processing".
Vejborg, R. M., Klemm, P., Gram, L., Hasman, H., Schembri, M. & Ingmer, H.
15/04/2005 → 29/08/2008
Project: PhD