HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Izano, E.A. Articles by Kaplan, J.B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Izano, E.A. Articles by Kaplan, J.B.

Detachment and Killing of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Biofilms by Dispersin B and SDS

Department of Oral Biology, New Jersey Dental School, Medical Science Building, Room C-636, 185 S. Orange Ave., Newark, NJ 07103, USA

^* corresponding author, kaplanjb{at}umdnj.edu

The periodontopathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans forms tenacious biofilms on abiotic surfaces in vitro. The objective of the present study was to measure the susceptibility of A. actinomycetemcomitans biofilms to detachment and killing by the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). We found that biofilms formed by a wild-type strain were resistant to detachment by SDS. In contrast, biofilms formed by an isogenic mutant strain that was deficient in the production of PGA (poly-N-acetyl-glucosamine), a biofilm matrix polysaccharide, were sensitive to detachment by SDS. Pre-treatment of wild-type biofilms with dispersin B, a PGA-degrading enzyme, rendered them sensitive to detachment by SDS and resulted in a > 99% increase in SDS-mediated cell killing. We concluded that PGA protects A. actinomycetemcomitans cells from detachment and killing by SDS. Dispersin B and SDS may be useful agents for treating chronic infections caused by A. actinomycetemcomitans and other PGA-producing bacteria.

KEY WORDS: A. actinomycetemcomitans • biofilm matrix • critical micelle concentration • dispersin B • PGA • SDS

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. A. Izano, M. A. Amarante, W. B. Kher, and J. B. Kaplan Differential Roles of Poly-N-Acetylglucosamine Surface Polysaccharide and Extracellular DNA in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis Biofilms Appl. Envir. Microbiol., January 15, 2008; 74(2): 470 - 476. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]