Chapter 7, Problem 7CHI

Because many persistent bacterial infections involve biofilms, there is great interest in developing strategies to prevent their formation and eliminate them once they have formed. The red alga Delisea pulchra produces a class of compounds known as halogenated furanones that inhibit biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli, B. subtilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus spp. In these microbes, the algal furanones inhibit cell-cell signaling. While furanones also inhibit biofilm formation in the food-borne pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, they do not alter cell-cell signaling. How does the inhibition of intercellular communication inhibit biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa and others? Do you think the fact that the furanones fail to interrupt cell-cell communication in Salmonella means that these bacteria do not use intercellular signaling when constructing biofilms? What alternative explanations might explain the loss of biofilm formation without influencing cell-cell communication? Suggest a use for the algal furanones in a food-processing facility.

Read the original paper: Janssens, J. C., et al. 2008. Brominated furanones inhibit biofilm formation by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74:6639.