Open AccessBacteroides thetaiotaomicron uses a widespread extracellular DNase to promote bile-dependent biofilm formation
Author(s) -
Nathalie Béchon,
Jovana Mihajlovic,
Anne-Aurélie Lopes,
Sol Vendrell-Fernández,
Julien Deschamps,
Romain Briandet,
Odile Sismeiro,
Isabelle MartinVerstraete,
Bruno Dupuy,
JeanMarc Ghigo
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2111228119
Subject(s) - bacteroides thetaiotaomicron , biofilm , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteroides , biology , extracellular polymeric substance , pilus , bacteria , biochemistry , genetics , virulence , gene
Significance Biofilms are communities of surface-attached bacteria exhibiting biofilm-specific properties. Although anaerobic biofilms impact health, industry, and environment, they are mostly studied in aerobic bacterial species. Here, we studied biofilm formation inBacteroides thetaiotaomicron , an anaerobic gut symbiont degrading diet sugars and contributing to gut maturation. AlthoughB. thetaiotaomicron adhesion contributes to intestinal colonization, little is known about the determinants of its biofilm capacities. We identified that bile is a physiologically relevant gut signal inducing biofilm formation inB. thetaiotaomicron and other gut Bacteroidales. Moreover, we showed that, in contrast to the known scaffolding role of extracellular DNA, bile-dependent biofilm requires a DNase degrading matrix DNA, thus revealing a previously unrecognized factor contributing to the adhesion capacity of major gut symbionts.