Phenazine virulence factor binding to extracellular DNA is important for Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation

TY - JOUR

T1 - Phenazine virulence factor binding to extracellular DNA is important for Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation

AU - Das, Theerthankar

AU - Kutty, Samuel K.

AU - Tavallaie, Roya

AU - Ibugo, Amaye I.

AU - Panchompoo, Janjira

AU - Sehar, Shama

AU - Aldous, Leigh

AU - Yeung, Amanda W. S.

AU - Thomas, Shane R.

AU - Kumar, Naresh

AU - Gooding, J. Justin

AU - Manefield, Mike

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics necessitates the identification of novel leads for infection control. Interference with extracellular phenomena, such as quorum sensing, extracellular DNA integrity and redox active metabolite release, represents a new frontier to control human pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and hence reduce mortality. Here we reveal that the extracellular redox active virulence factor pyocyanin produced by P. aeruginosa binds directly to the deoxyribose-phosphate backbone of DNA and intercalates with DNA nitrogenous base pair regions. Binding results in local perturbations of the DNA double helix structure and enhanced electron transfer along the nucleic acid polymer. Pyocyanin binding to DNA also increases DNA solution viscosity. In contrast, antioxidants interacting with DNA and pyocyanin decrease DNA solution viscosity. Biofilms deficient in pyocyanin production and biofilms lacking extracellular DNA show similar architecture indicating the interaction is important in P. aeruginosa biofilm formation.

AB - Bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics necessitates the identification of novel leads for infection control. Interference with extracellular phenomena, such as quorum sensing, extracellular DNA integrity and redox active metabolite release, represents a new frontier to control human pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and hence reduce mortality. Here we reveal that the extracellular redox active virulence factor pyocyanin produced by P. aeruginosa binds directly to the deoxyribose-phosphate backbone of DNA and intercalates with DNA nitrogenous base pair regions. Binding results in local perturbations of the DNA double helix structure and enhanced electron transfer along the nucleic acid polymer. Pyocyanin binding to DNA also increases DNA solution viscosity. In contrast, antioxidants interacting with DNA and pyocyanin decrease DNA solution viscosity. Biofilms deficient in pyocyanin production and biofilms lacking extracellular DNA show similar architecture indicating the interaction is important in P. aeruginosa biofilm formation.

U2 - 10.1038/srep08398

DO - 10.1038/srep08398

M3 - Article

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 5

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

ER -