TY - JOUR A1 - Richter, Anja A1 - Possling, A. A1 - Malysheva, N. A1 - Yousef, K. P. A1 - Herbst, S. A1 - von Kleist, M. A1 - Hengge, R. T1 - Local c-di-GMP signaling in the control of synthesis of the E. coli biofilm exopolysaccharide pEtN-cellulose N2 - In many bacteria, the biofilm-promoting second messenger c-di-GMP is produced and degraded by multiple diguanylate cyclases (DGC) and phosphodiesterases (PDE), respectively. High target specificity of some of these enzymes has led to theoretical concepts of "local" c-di-GMP signaling. In Escherichia coli K-12, which has 12 DGCs and 13 PDEs, a single DGC, DgcC, is specifically required for the biosynthesis of the biofilm exopolysaccharide pEtN-cellulose without affecting the cellular c-di-GMP pool, but the mechanistic basis of this target specificity has remained obscure. DGC activity of membrane-associated DgcC, which is demonstrated in vitro in nanodiscs, is shown to be necessary and sufficient to specifically activate cellulose biosynthesis in vivo. DgcC and a particular PDE, PdeK (encoded right next to the cellulose operon), directly interact with cellulose synthase subunit BcsB and with each other, thus establishing physical proximity between cellulose synthase and a local source and sink of c-di-GMP. This arrangement provides a localized, yet open source of c-di-GMP right next to cellulose synthase subunit BcsA, which needs allosteric activation by c-di-GMP. Through mathematical modeling and simulation, we demonstrate that BcsA binding from the low cytosolic c-di-GMP pool in E. coli is negligible, whereas a single c-di-GMP molecule that is produced and released in direct proximity to cellulose synthase increases the probability of c-di-GMP binding to BcsA several hundred-fold. This local c-di-GMP signaling could provide a blueprint for target-specific second messenger signaling also in other bacteria where multiple second messenger producing and degrading enzymes exist. KW - Biofilm KW - Cellulose synthase KW - Bacterial second messenger KW - C-di-GMP PY - 2020 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-511214 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmb.2020.06.006 SN - 0022-2836 VL - 432 IS - 16 SP - 4576 EP - 4595 PB - Elsevir Ltd. AN - OPUS4-51121 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schwibbert, Karin A1 - Richter, Anja A1 - Krüger, Jörg A1 - Bonse, Jörn T1 - Laser-Textured Surfaces: A Way to Control Biofilm Formation? N2 - Bacterial biofilms pose serious problems in medical and industrial settings. One of the major societal challenges lies in the increasing resistance of bacteria against biocides used in antimicrobial treatments, e.g., via overabundant use in medicine, industry, and agriculture or cleaning and disinfection in private households. Hence, new efficient bacteria-repellent strategies avoiding the use of biocides are strongly desired. One promising route to achieve bacteria-repellent surfaces lies in the contactless and aseptic large-area laser-processing of technical surfaces. Tailored surface textures, enabled by different laser-processing strategies that result in topographic scales ranging from nanometers to micrometers may provide a solution to this challenge. This article presents a current state-of-the-art review of laser-surface subtractive texturing approaches for controlling the biofilm formation for different bacterial strains and in different environments. Based on specific properties of bacteria and laser-processed surfaces, the challenges of anti-microbial surface designs are discussed, and future directions will be outlined. KW - Antibacterial surfaces KW - Biofilms KW - Laser processing KW - Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) KW - Microbial adhesions PY - 2023 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-588260 DO - https://doi.org/10.1002/lpor.202300753 SN - 1863-8899 SP - 1 EP - 41 PB - Wiley-VCH GmbH CY - Weinheim AN - OPUS4-58826 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Richter, Anja A1 - Buchberger, G. A1 - Stifter, D. A1 - Duchoslav, J. A1 - Hertwig, Andreas A1 - Bonse, Jörn A1 - Heitz, J. A1 - Schwibbert, Karin T1 - Spatial Period of Laser-Induced Surface Nanoripples on PET Determines Escherichia coli Repellence N2 - Bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation on surfaces are associated with persistent microbial contamination, biofouling, and the emergence of resistance, thus, calling for new strategies to impede bacterial surface colonization. Using ns-UV laser treatment (wavelength 248 nm and a pulse duration of 20 ns), laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) featuring different submicrometric periods ranging from ~210 to ~610 nm were processed on commercial poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) foils. Bacterial adhesion tests revealed that these nanorippled surfaces exhibit a repellence for E. coli that decisively depends on the spatial periods of the LIPSS with the strongest reduction (~91%) in cell adhesion observed for LIPSS periods of 214 nm. Although chemical and structural analyses indicated a moderate laser-induced surface oxidation, a significant influence on the bacterial adhesion was ruled out. Scanning electron microscopy and additional biofilm studies using a pili-deficient E. coli TG1 strain revealed the role of extracellular appendages in the bacterial repellence observed here. KW - Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) KW - Laser processing KW - Polyethylene terephthalate KW - Biofilm formation KW - Cell appendages KW - Biomimetic KW - F pili PY - 2021 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-537431 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11113000 VL - 11 IS - 11 SP - 3000 PB - MDPI AN - OPUS4-53743 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -