Biofilms are a community of microorganisms embedded in an extracellular polymeric matrix that forms a resistant environment for continued bacterial growth. Forming on a variety of surfaces, biofilms have become a major issue, causing hospital and home-acquired infections and infiltrating pipes and water systems. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a common Gram-negative bacterium that is prevalent in immune-compromised patients such as those diagnosed with HIV and cystic fibrosis (CF). In fact, incurable PA infections cause the majority of morbidity and mortality in CF patients. This untreatable biofilm is thought to be caused by a production of persister cells. In a stressed environment, such as exposure to high dose antibiotics, persister cells are able to enter a dormant state and are tolerant to antibiotic treatment. Their continual growth, after antibiotics leave the system, leads to chronic biofilm formation. In this work, specific media and agars were explored to promote persister cells of PA01 by the production of the quorum sensing molecule, pyocyanin. The varying population of persister was investigated for a variety of growing conditions. We continued to monitor these growing conditions in a high throughput microfluidic device, the BioFlux 1000z, that was used to visualize these cells in real time. Time-lapsed microscopy images demonstrate the growth of cells after treatment with the antibiotics Ciprofloxacin or Carbenicillin.

Quantification of pyocanin-promoted Pseudomonas aeruginosa persister cells and the analysis of their growth in a microfluidic device

2019 Spring National Meeting

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