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 Yi, K.
Right arrow Articles by Stojiljkovic, I.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Yi, K.
Right arrow Articles by Stojiljkovic, I.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infection and Immunity, October 2004, p. 6132-6138, Vol. 72, No. 10
0019-9567/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.72.10.6132-6138.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Biofilm Formation by Neisseria meningitidis

Kyungcheol Yi,1* Andrew W. Rasmussen,1 Seshu K. Gudlavalleti,1 David S. Stephens,1,2 and Igor Stojiljkovic1

Department of Microbiology and Immunology,1 Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, and Laboratories of Microbial Pathogenesis, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia2

Received 12 April 2004/ Returned for modification 7 May 2004/ Accepted 26 June 2004

Biofilm formation by the human pathogen Neisseria meningitidis was analyzed. Biofilm-forming meningococcal strains were identified and quantitated by crystal violet staining. Laser scanning confocal microscopy of the meningococcal biofilm revealed variable layers up to 90 µm in thickness. A total of 39 meningococcal isolates were studied; 23 were nasopharyngeal-carriage isolates, and 16 were invasive-disease isolates. Thirty percent of carriage isolates and 12.5% of invasive-disease isolates formed biofilms proficiently on a polystyrene surface. Generally, the strains that formed biofilms showed high-level cell surface hydrophobicity, characteristic of strains lacking a capsule. The inhibitory role of capsule in biofilm formation was further confirmed by comparing the biofilm-forming capabilities of a serogroup B wild-type strain of a disease-associated isolate to those of its capsule-deficient mutant (ctrA). Some strains of meningococci form biofilms, and this process is likely important in menigococcal colonization.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30322. Phone: (404) 727-5968. Fax: (404) 727-3659. E-mail: kyi{at}emory.edu.

Editor: J. T. Barbieri

Infection and Immunity, October 2004, p. 6132-6138, Vol. 72, No. 10
0019-9567/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.72.10.6132-6138.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • O'Dwyer, C. A., Li, M.-S., Langford, P. R., Kroll, J. S. (2009). Meningococcal biofilm growth on an abiotic surface - a model for epithelial colonization?. Microbiology 155: 1940-1952 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Flahaut, S., Vinogradov, E., Kelley, K. A., Brennan, S., Hiramatsu, K., Lee, J. C. (2008). Structural and Biological Characterization of a Capsular Polysaccharide Produced by Staphylococcus haemolyticus. J. Bacteriol. 190: 1649-1657 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wang, W., Reitzer, L., Rasko, D. A., Pearson, M. M., Blick, R. J., Laurence, C., Hansen, E. J. (2007). Metabolic Analysis of Moraxella catarrhalis and the Effect of Selected In Vitro Growth Conditions on Global Gene Expression. Infect. Immun. 75: 4959-4971 [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]  
  • McAuliffe, L., Ellis, R. J., Miles, K., Ayling, R. D., Nicholas, R. A. J. (2006). Biofilm formation by mycoplasma species and its role in environmental persistence and survival.. Microbiology 152: 913-922 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Greiner, L. L., Edwards, J. L., Shao, J., Rabinak, C., Entz, D., Apicella, M. A. (2005). Biofilm Formation by Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Infect. Immun. 73: 1964-1970 [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»