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Infection and Immunity, April 2005, p. 1964-1970, Vol. 73, No. 4
0019-9567/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.73.4.1964-1970.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Biofilm Formation by Neisseria gonorrhoeae

L. L. Greiner, J. L. Edwards,^, J. Shao, C. Rabinak, D. Entz, and M. A. Apicella^*

Department of Microbiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

Received 30 September 2004/ Returned for modification 10 November 2004/ Accepted 30 November 2004

Studies were performed in continuous-flow chambers to determine whether Neisseria gonorrhoeae could form a biofilm. Under these growth conditions, N. gonorrhoeae formed a biofilm with or without the addition of 10 µM sodium nitrite to the perfusion medium. Microscopic analysis of a 4-day growth of N. gonorrhoeae strain 1291 revealed evidence of a biofilm with organisms embedded in matrix, which was interlaced with water channels. N. gonorrhoeae strains MS11 and FA1090 were found to also form biofilms under the same growth conditions. Cryofield emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy confirmed that organisms were embedded in a continuous matrix with membranous structures spanning the biofilm. These studies also demonstrated that N. gonorrhoeae has the capability to form a matrix in the presence and absence of CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-Neu5Ac). Studies with monoclonal antibody 6B4 and the lectins soy bean agglutinin and Maackia amurensis indicated that the predominate terminal sugars in the biofilm matrix formed a lactosamine when the biofilm was grown in the absence of CMP-Neu5Ac and sialyllactosamine in the presence of CMP-Neu5Ac. N. gonorrhoeae strain 1291 formed a biofilm on primary urethral epithelial cells and cervical cells in culture without loss of viability of the epithelial cell layer. Our studies demonstrated that N. gonorrhoeae can form biofilms in continuous-flow chambers and on living cells. Studies of these biofilms may have implications for understanding asymptomatic gonococcal infection.

Editor: T. R. Kozel

L.L.G. and J.L.E. contributed equally to the work described in this paper.

Present address: Columbus Children's Research Institute, Columbus, OH 43205.

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