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Infection and Immunity, January 2009, p. 335-340, Vol. 77, No. 1
0019-9567/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.00872-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Staphylococcus aureus Rbf Activates Biofilm Formation In Vitro and Promotes Virulence in a Murine Foreign Body Infection Model{triangledown}

Thanh T. Luong, Mei G. Lei, and Chia Y. Lee*

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205

Received 15 July 2008/ Returned for modification 27 August 2008/ Accepted 16 October 2008

We previously identified Rbf as an activator for biofilm formation on polystyrene surfaces in Staphylococcus aureus strain 8325-4. However, strain 8325-4 contains genetic mutations that may affect biofilm formation. To extend the observation to other strains, we used strain Newman, a weak biofilm producer, and strain UAMS-1, an osteomyelitis clinical strain, in this study. We found that mutations in the chromosomal rbf gene did not affect biofilm formation on polystyrene surfaces in these strains, but transformants of these strains carrying a multiple-copy plasmid containing the rbf gene formed stronger biofilms than the wild-type strains and the mutant strains. Using the flow cell method, we found that the chromosomal mutation in the rbf gene delayed biofilm formation, whereas strains with a plasmid containing the rbf gene accelerated biofilm formation in strains Newman and UAMS-1. These results led us to conclude that rbf is an activator of biofilm formation in different strains of S. aureus, although the degree of activation varies among strains. In a murine model of foreign body infection, the rbf mutations in strain Newman, but not in strain UAMS-1, reduced the bacterial survival rate in catheter lumen. However, UAMS-1 carrying multiple copies of rbf in a plasmid increased the bacterial survival rate. The animal studies therefore suggest that Rbf has a role in S. aureus virulence.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., Mail Slot 511, Little Rock, AR 72205. Phone: (501) 526-7687. Fax: (501) 686-5359. E-mail: clee2{at}uams.edu

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 27 October 2008.

Editor: V. J. DiRita

Infection and Immunity, January 2009, p. 335-340, Vol. 77, No. 1
0019-9567/09/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/IAI.00872-08
Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Cue, D., Lei, M. G., Luong, T. T., Kuechenmeister, L., Dunman, P. M., O'Donnell, S., Rowe, S., O'Gara, J. P., Lee, C. Y. (2009). Rbf Promotes Biofilm Formation by Staphylococcus aureus via Repression of icaR, a Negative Regulator of icaADBC. J. Bacteriol. 191: 6363-6373 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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