Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-24-2015

MeSH Terms

Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, Microscopy, Atomic Force

Subject: LCSH

Borrelia burgdorferi, Atomic force microscopy

Disciplines

Biology | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Abstract

Bacterial biofilms are microbial communities held together by an extracellular polymeric substance matrix predominantly composed of polysaccharides, proteins and nucleic acids. We had previously shown that Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the causative organism of Lyme disease in the United States is capable of forming biofilms in vitro. Here, we investigated biofilm formation by B. afzelii and B. garinii, which cause Lyme disease in Europe. Using various histochemistry and microscopy techniques, we show that B. afzelii and B. garinii form biofilms, which resemble biofilms formed by B. burgdorferisensu stricto. High-resolution atomic force microscopy revealed similarities in the ultrastructural organization of the biofilms form by three Borrelia species. Histochemical experiments revealed a heterogeneous organization of exopolysaccharides among the three Borrelia species. These results suggest that biofilm formation might be a common trait of Borrelia genera physiology.

Comments

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in FEMS Microbiology Letters following peer review. The version of record of Venkata Arun Timmaraju, Priyanka A. S. Theophilus, Kunthavai Balasubramanian, Shafiq Shakih, David F. Luecke, Eva Sapi. Biofilm formation by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato FEMS Microbiology Letters Volume 362, Issue 15 is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnv120 .

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnv120

Publisher Citation

Biofilm formation by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. Venkata Arun Timmaraju, Priyanka A. S. Theophilus, Kunthavai Balasubramanian, Shafiq Shakih, David F. Luecke, Eva Sapi. FEMS Microbiology Letters Volume 362, Issue 15. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnv120 fnv120 First published online: 24 July 2015

Share

COinS