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Interference of Pseudomonas aeruginosa signalling and biofilm formation for infection control

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 April 2010

Thomas Bjarnsholt
Affiliation:
Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark. Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Tim Tolker-Nielsen
Affiliation:
Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Niels Høiby
Affiliation:
Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark. Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Michael Givskov*
Affiliation:
Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
*
*Corresponding author: Michael Givskov, Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark. E-mail: Mgivskov@sund.ku.dk

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the best described bacterium with regards to quorum sensing (QS), in vitro biofilm formation and the development of antibiotic tolerance. Biofilms composed of P. aeruginosa are thought to be the underlying cause of many chronic infections, including those in wounds and in the lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis. In this review, we provide an overview of the molecular mechanisms involved in QS, QS-enabled virulence, biofilm formation and biofilm-enabled antibiotic tolerance. We now have substantial knowledge of the multicellular behaviour of P. aeruginosa in vitro. A major task for the future is to investigate how such in vitro data correlate with the in vivo behaviour of P. aeruginosa, and how to treat chronic infections of this bacterium in patients.

Type
Review Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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References

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Further reading, resources and contacts

The leading website on quorum sensing can be found at:

Williams, P. and Cámara, M. (2009) Quorum sensing and environmental adaptation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: a tale of regulatory networks and multifunctional signal molecules. Current Opinion in Microbiology 12, 182-191CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Williams, P. and Cámara, M. (2009) Quorum sensing and environmental adaptation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: a tale of regulatory networks and multifunctional signal molecules. Current Opinion in Microbiology 12, 182-191CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed