Adherence and Biofilm Production of Streptococcus pyogenes

Abstract

Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus -GAS) can cause numerous human infections, varying from mild skin infections to life-threatening, e.g. necrotizing fasciitis. Adherence and biofilm production are important in streptoccocal pathogenesis. GAS adhesins are numerous and diverse, with the ability to bind to several different receptors at the same time, which leads to difficulties in their precise identification and classification. Biofilm production is one of the most probable explanation for therapeutic failure in the treatment of GAS infections. Most researchers agreed that biofilm formation is a trait of individual strains rather than a general serotype attribute. The aim of our study is to investigate differences in adherence to laminin and biofilm production between invasive and non-invasive isolates (NI) of GAS. In this study the correlation between adherence to laminin and invasiveness in GAS isolates is noticed. The strains isolated from GAS carriers and highly invasive (HI) GAS strains have excellent capacity for binding to laminin. When testing biofilm production, there was noticeable positive correlation between adherence and biofilm production among non-invasive isolates. Non-invasive isolates were stable biofilm productors. There was no correlation between adherence and biofilm production among invasive isolates. Invasive isolates were also unstable biofilm productors.

Singularities of Pyogenic Streptococcal Biofilms – From Formation to Health Implication

“…While the first step is a very dynamic process, with an on/off kinetic effect, and relying on hydrophobic, ionic, and electrostatic forces responsible for an initial attachment, the second step of adhesion is more specific and complex since the strong affinity between several MSCRAMMS and host cells promote irreversible and species-specific interactions. S. pyogenes can adhere to human cells by interacting with different MSCRAMMS simultaneously, which strengthens biofilm initiation but hampers the detection of streptococcal adhesins ( Šmitran et al, 2016 ).…”

“…Lipoteichoic acids are long, linear, anionic glycopolymers of phosphodiester-linked poly-glycerol phosphate (poly-GroP) repeating units, anchored to the plasma membrane of the cell through a glycolipid ( Figure 2 ; Morath et al, 2005 ; Weidenmaier and Peschel, 2008 ; Shiraishi et al, 2016 ). LTAs are known to be major players in biofilm formation – studies estimate that 60% of initial adherence to epithelial cells is mediated by LTA ( Šmitran et al, 2016 ) – however, other physiological roles are attributed to this amphipathic molecule: control of autolytic enzymes, maintain membrane integrity, cation homeostasis, and ions/nutrients trafficking ( Fischer, 1988 ; Neuhaus and Baddiley, 2003 ; Poxton, 2014 ).…”