E-Thesis 213 views 40 downloads
Investigating Metabolism and Competition In Staphylococcus epidermidis Biofilms / EBONY BANSAIR
Swansea University Author: EBONY BANSAIR
Abstract
Staphylococcus epidermidis is a commensal bacterium of the skin implicated as a significant cause of medical device infections, causing around 20% of orthopaedic device related infections and 13% of prosthetic valve endocarditis infections. A major virulence factor of this bacterium is its ability t...
| Published: |
Swansea
2022
|
|---|---|
| Institution: | Swansea University |
| Degree level: | Master of Research |
| Degree name: | MSc by Research |
| Supervisor: | Harris Llinos G. ; Wilkinson, Thomas S. |
| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa60283 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Abstract: |
Staphylococcus epidermidis is a commensal bacterium of the skin implicated as a significant cause of medical device infections, causing around 20% of orthopaedic device related infections and 13% of prosthetic valve endocarditis infections. A major virulence factor of this bacterium is its ability to adhere to surfaces and form biofilms. In a biofilm environment there are qualities that aid endurance of the bacteria inside the body, by antibiotic resistance and evasion of host defences. S. epidermidis in a biofilm environment display different properties to those in a planktonic environment, such as slowed growth cycles and altered metabolism thus enhancing its survival. An association has already been made between the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the regulatory mechanisms for the formation of polysaccharide intercellular adhesin. However, our knowledge on the effects of metabolism on the mechanisms used by protein mediated biofilms to cause persistent infections is limited. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the influence of metabolic pathways on different S. epidermidis biofilm formation mechanisms and the relationship between metabolism and quorum sensing mechanisms of regulation in protein mediated biofilms. Metabolism was measured for three S. epidermidis strains that are known to form biofilms using different mechanisms using the fluorescent redox stains 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride and resazurin. Biofilm positive isolates showed more reduction than biofilm negative isolates. Additionally, the addition of spent media from biofilm positive isolates was able to modulate biofilm formation in both biofilm positive and negative isolates. Further development of this research could facilitate the identification of specific metabolic differences between protein and polysaccharide mediated biofilms, and between the effects of quorum sensing in protein mediated biofilms. |
|---|---|
| College: |
Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences |