Visualization and quantification of the cellular and extracellular components of Salmonella Agona biofilms at different stages of development

PLoS One. 2018 Jul 10;13(7):e0200011. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200011. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Salmonella is a major food-borne pathogen able to persist in food processing environments because of its ability to form biofilms. A Salmonella enterica serotype Agona isolate from poultry (S24) was grown at 37°C in biofilms for up to 144 hours (H144) in attachment to polystyrene surfaces. Biofilm structures were examined at different stages in their development (H3, H24, H48, H72, H96 and H144) using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) in conjunction with fluorescent dyes for live cells (SYTO 9), dead cells (propidium iodide), proteins (fluorescein isothiocyanate isomer I), lipids (DiD'oil), α-polysaccharides (concanavalin A, tetramethylrhodamine conjugate), and β-polysaccharides (calcofluor white M2R). Strain S24 developed a robust biofilm at H72 (biovolume of 166,852.5 ± 13,681.8 μm3 in the observation field of 16,078.2 μm2). The largest biovolume of live cells was also detected at H72 (128,110.3 ± 4,969.1 μm3), decreasing thereafter, which was probably owing to the detachment of cells prior to a new phase of colonization. The percentage of dead cells with regard to total cells in the biofilms increased throughout the incubation, ranging from 2.3 ± 1.1% (H24) to 44.2 ± 11.0% (H144). Proteins showed the greatest biovolume among the extracellular components within the biofilms, with values ranging from 1,295.1 ± 1,294.9 μm3 (H3) to 19,186.2 ± 8,536.0 μm3 (H96). Maximum biovolume values of 15,171.9 ± 660.7 μm3 (H48), 7,055.3 ± 4,415.2 μm3 (H144), and 2,548.6 ± 1,597.5 μm3 (H72) were observed for β-polysaccharides, α-polysaccharides and lipids, respectively. A strong (P < 0.01) positive correlation was found between the total biovolume of biofilm and the biovolume of live cells, proteins and β-polysaccharides, which may serve as useful markers of biofilm formation. The present work provides new insights into the formation of S. Agona biofilms. Our findings may contribute to the designing of reliable strategies for preventing and removing these bacterial communities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biofilms / growth & development*
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival
  • Extracellular Space / microbiology*
  • Polysaccharides / metabolism
  • Salmonella / metabolism
  • Salmonella / physiology*

Substances

  • Polysaccharides

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (INIA; RTA2014-00045-C03-02). Camino González-Machado was beneficiary of a fellowship of the Regional Government of Castile and Leon (Operational Programme for Youth Employment, European Social Fund and Youth Employment Initiative). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.