Tempeature-dependent attachment regulation via type IV pili in Clostridia

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26860281
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Bacteriology (including mycology)
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: OBANA Nozomu 筑波大学, 生命環境系, 助教 (00722688)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: クロストリジウム属細菌 / バイオフィルム / IV型線毛 / 温度変化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Clostridium perfringens survives antibiotic treatment or oxidative stress through the formation of biofilms or spores, but the environmental and regulatory factors involved in the biofilm formation remain unclear. Here, we observed that temperature regulates C. perfringens biofilm morphology. At 37°C, C. perfringens adhered to the substrate surface and formed a flat, thin biofilm. However, at 25°C, this bacterium did not adhere and produced a threadlike extracellular matrix, forming a viscous, thick biofilm. Adhered-biofilm formation requires pilA2, which encodes a component of type IV pili (TFP). TFP expression was activated at 37°C. These results indicate that the morphology of C. perfringens biofilm is dependent on temperature through the differential production of extracellular matrix and the activity of TFP. Here, we demonstrated that the morphological change of the biofilms via TFP activity could play an important role in the pathogenesis of this organism

Free Research Field

分子微生物学