Publication Date

2024

Document Type

Article

Description

The biofilm forming organism Pseudomonas aeruginosa, known for its virulence and pathogenicity, has 5 main stages of growth, with the final stage being dispersion. Dispersion is characterized by a rupture of the biofilm structure and release of free-floating cells. During this stage, the biofilm is more susceptible to antibiotic treatments. Pseudomonas biofilms produce Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMV's), or membrane-enclosed structures containing toxins and signaling factors. OMV production is elevated during the dispersion stage. This investigation has tracked the impact of exogenous OMV addition on biofilm dispersion. This biofilm is also known to produce cis-2-decenoic acid (cis-DA), a hydrophobic signaling molecule with a similar structure to Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal (PQS), which induces OMV formation. This HPLC analysis has aimed to evaluate whether cis-DA is present within biofilm OMV's. The long term impact of this project is to increase understanding of how OMVs increase Pseudomonas biofilms characteristic virulence and antibiotic resistance.

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Investigating Pseudomonas aeruginosa Outer Membrane Vesicles

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