• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.108-113
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• 2014

Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Vibrio vulnificus are Gram-negative human pathogens, which exert their virulence through quorum sensing (QS) regulation. The infection of these pathogens have been known to be mediated by biofilm formation in many cases and this study carried out the time-course analysis of biofilm formation depending on the QS regulation in P. aeruginosa and V. vulnificus. In P. aeruginosa, our results demonstrated that QS-deficient mutant better attached to surface at initial stage of biofilm formation, but poorly proceeded to the maturation of the biofilm structure, while wild type less attached at initial stage but developed highly structured biofilm at late stage. Because of this, the quantitative comparison of biofilm formation between wild type and the QS mutant showed the reversion; the QS mutant formed more biofilm until 10 h after inoculation than wild type, but wild type formed much more biofilm after 10 h than QS mutant. V. vulnificus has been reported to form more biofilm with the mutation on QS system. When we performed the same time-course analysis of the V. vulnificus biofilm formation, the reversion was not detected even with prolonged culture for 108 h and the QS mutant always forms more biofilm than wild type. These results indicate that the QS regulation negatively affects the attachment at early stage but positively facilitates the biofilm maturation at late stage in P. aeruginosa, while the QS regulation has a negative effect on the biofilm formation throughout the biofilm development in V. vulnificus. Based on our results, we suggest that the developmental stage of biofilm and bacterial species should be considered when the QS system is targeted for biofilm control.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.456-460
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• 2004

Effects of sigma factor (${\sigma}^{B}$) on biofilm formation in Listeria monocytogenes 10403S and ${\sigma}^{B}-deficient$ sigB null mutant were studied under high osmotic and low temperature conditions. In brain heart infusion (BHI) medium containing 6% NaCl, wild type 10403S and ${\sigma}^{B}-deficient$sigB null mutant formed biofilms of $6.83{\pm}0.38\;and\;5.33{\pm}0.45\;log\;cfu/cm^{2}$, respectively. L. monocytogenes 10403S in BHI medium containing 6% NaCl formed 4.7 times larger biofilm than without NaCl. Culture of L. monocytogenes 10403S and sigB null mutant at $4^{\circ}C$ did not show any significant differences in biofilm formation. The results suggest biofilm formation is activated by ${\sigma}^{B}$ and NaCl, whereas not affected by low temperature stress in L. monocytogenes 10403S. More studies are necessary to determine biofilm formation mechanism in osmotolerant L. monocytogenes.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.120-125
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• 2013

Food poisoning by Bacillus cereus is one of the common food-borne diseases and B. cereus is widely distributed in natural and commercial products owing to the strong resistance caused by biofilm or spore. The ethanol, NaCl, and organic acids of acetic acid, citric acid, and lactic acid for biocontrol of biofilm-forming B. cereus on glass wool were investigated. The biofilm on glass wool was observed in many developments after 48 h incubation. As the results of reduction of biofilm-forming B. cereus by sanitizers, reduction levels of each organic acid treatment ranged to 5-6 log CFU/g-glass wool. In case of combination treatments of 20% ethanol, 10% NaCl, and 1% of each organic acid for 1-5 min, the reduction level of biofilm-forming B. cereus was 7-8 log CFU/g-glass wool. Therefore, combination treatments of ethanol, NaCl, and an organic acid might effectively reduce biofilm-forming B. cereus in various food processes and industries.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.77-86
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• 2018

The human pathogen and food spoiler Bacillus cereus can form biofilms that act as a persistent source of contamination, which is of public health concern. This study aimed to understand how the source of isolation might affect the behavior of biofilm formation. Biofilm formation abilities of 56 strains of B. cereus isolated from different environments, including human food poisoning, farm, and food, were determined. Crystal violet assay results revealed significant (p < 0.05) differences in biofilm formation abilities among the strains isolated from different sources only at an early stage of incubation. However, strain origin showed no impact on later stage of biofilm formation. Next, correlation of the group of isolates on the basis of their biofilm-forming abilities with the number of sessile cells, sporulation, and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) formation was determined. The number of sessile cells and spores in biofilms was greatly influenced by the groups of isolates that formed dense, moderate, and weak biofilms. The contribution of extracellular DNA and/or proteins to EPS formation was also positively correlated with biofilm formation abilities. Our results that the source of isolation had significant impact on biofilm formation might provide important information to develop strategies to control B. cereus biofilm formation.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.95-104
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• 1997

The objectives of this study are to investigate the effect of media on the removal efficiency of nitrate-nitrogen and the biofilm thickness in the fluidized bed biofilm reactor(FBBR) used for the high rate denitrification of nitric acid wastewater. Granular activated carbon(GAC) of 1.274 mm diameter and sand of 0.455 mm diameter were used as the media in the FBBR of 0.05 m diameter and 1.5 m height. As the nitrate-nitrogen concentration of the influent was increased stepwise from 600 to 4800 mg/l, the nitrate- and nitrite-nitrogen concentration of the effluent, biofilm thickness and biofilm dry density were measured to study the effects of media on the denitrification efficiency. The biofilm thickness increased with the substrate loading rate, and the biofilm dry density decreased with the increase of the biofilm thickness. At the influent nitrate-nitrogen concentration of 2400 mg/l, the removal efficiency in the FBBR with GAC was 88%, while that in the FBBR with sand was 99.6%. The biofilm in the FBBR with GAC was so thick, 754.9 $\mu$m, as to increase the mass transfer resistance, compared to that, 143.7 $\mu$m, in the FBBR with sand. The maximum specific denitrification rate in the FBBR with GAC was 15.0 kg-N/m$^3\cdot$ day, while that in the FBBR with sand was 18.0 kg-N/m$^3\cdot$ day. The biomass concentration in the FBBR with sand exhibited the high value 37 kg/m$^3$.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.148-154
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• 2007

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of low concentration of oxygen on reduction of perchlorate, especially low perchlorate influent concentrations in a biofilm reactor, as well as the effect of flow pattern in a biofilm reactor. Dissolved oxygen averaging 1 mg/L did not inhibit reduction of influent perchlorate from 23 to $426\;{\mu}g/L$ in the biofilm reactors when sufficient acetate was added, probably due to limitation of oxygen diffusion into the biofilm. Influent perchlorate ranging from 23 to $426\;{\mu}g/L$ was reduced to below detection level ($4\;{\mu}g/L$) in the presence of 1 mg/L dissolved oxygen (DO). Chloride was produced in a ratio of $0.37gCl^-/g{ClO_4}^-$ and $0.35gCl^-/g{ClO_4}^-$ in plug flow and recirculation biofilm reactor which is similar to stoichiometric amount ($0.36gCl^-/g{ClO_4}^-$) indicating complete perchlorate reduction at $426\;{\mu}g/L$ of ${ClO_4}^-$ feeding. At $23\;{\mu}g/L$L influent perchlorate, total biomass solids were 3.18 g and 2.81 g in the plug flow and recirculation biofilm reactors. The most probable number(MPN) analysis for perchlorate-reducing bacteria showed $10^4$ to $10^5\;cells/cm^2$ in both biofilm reactors throughout the experiments. The effluent perchlorate concentrations were not significantly different in the two different flow regimes, plug flow and recirculation biofilm reactors.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1871-1879
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• 2015

The complex roles of flagella in the pathogenesis of Campylobacter jejuni, a major cause of worldwide foodborne diarrheal disease, are important. Compared with the wild-type, an insertional mutation of the flgA gene (cj0769c) demonstrated significant decrease in the biofilm formation of C. jejuni NCTC11168 on major food contact surfaces, such as polystyrene, stainless steel, and borosilicate glass. The flgA mutant was completely devoid of flagella and non-motile whereas the wild-type displayed the full-length flagella and motility. In addition, the biofilm formation of the wild-type was inversely dependent on the viscosity of the media. These results support that flagellar-mediated motility plays a significant role in the biofilm formation of C. jejuni NCTC11168. Moreover, our adhesion assay suggests that it plays an important role during biofilm maturation after initial attachment. Furthermore, C. jejuni NCTC11168 wild-type formed biofilm with a net-like structure of extracellular fiber-like material, but such a structure was significantly reduced in the biofilm of the flgA mutant. It supports that the extracellular fiber-like material may play a significant role in the biofilm formation of C. jejuni. This study demonstrated that flgA is essential for flagellar biosynthesis and motility, and plays a significant role in the biofilm formation of C. jejuni NCTC11168.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.1020-1030
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• 2022

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance (BLIS) from Enterococcus faecium DB1 on cariogenic Streptococcus mutans biofilm. Crystal violet staining, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy analyses demonstrated that the BLIS from Enterococcus faecium DB1 (DB1 BLIS) inhibited S. mutans biofilm. When DB1 BLIS was co-incubated with S. mutans, biofilm formation by S. mutans was significantly reduced (p<0.05). DB1 BLIS also destroyed the preformed biofilm of S. mutans. In addition, DB1 BLIS decreased the viability of S. mutans biofilm cells during the development of biofilm formation and in the preformed biofilm. DB1 BLIS significantly decreased the growth of S. mutans planktonic cells. Furthermore, S. mutans biofilm on the surface of saliva-coated hydroxyapatite discs was reduced by DB1 BLIS. Taken together, DB1 BLIS might be useful as a preventive and therapeutic agent against dental caries caused by S. mutans.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.100-105
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• 2001

Microstructural examinations were performed on the anaerobic biofilm from reactor filled with PE support media. Optical microscope, SEM and fluorescent microscope were used for qualitative and morphological studies on the attached microorganism under anaerobic condition. Microorganisms were attached in crevices where protection from shear forces of surfaces where easy to contact with support media surface. A hypothesis for biofilm accumulation occurs on a surface such as polymer support media is presented schematically : 1st step ; cell-support media attachment, 2nd step ; cell-support media attachment and cell-cell attachment, 3rd step ; attached biofilm from neighboring crevices joins together and growing, 4th step ; mature and irregualar biofilm was formed. In SEM photographs, shape and structures of biofilm were observed, but microorganism species and methanogens were not identified. A large number of methanogenic bacteria were identified on the surface of PE substratum by fluorescence under 480nm of radiation and it was estimated that methanogenic bacteria was related to initial attachment of bacteria under anaerobic condition.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.668-674
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• 2020

Manuka honey (MH) has been shown anti-bacterial activity against several pathogenic bacteria. However, the inhibitory effect of MH on biofilm formation by Escherichia coli O157:H7 has not yet been examined. In this study, MH significantly reduced E. coli O157:H7 biofilm. Moreover, pre- and post-treatment with MH also significantly reduced E. coli O157:H7 biofilm. Cellular metabolic activities exhibited that the viability of E. coli O157:H7 biofilm cells was reduced in the presence of MH. Further, colony forming unit of MH-treated E. coli O157:H7 biofilm was significantly reduced by over 70%. Collectively, this study suggests the potential of anti-biofilm properties of MH which could be applied to control E. coli O157:H7.