Title |
Competition/antagonism associations of biofilm formation among Staphylococcus epidermidis Agr groups I, II, and III |
Author |
Sergio Martínez-García1, César I. Ortiz-García1, Marisa Cruz-Aguilar2, Juan Carlos Zenteno2, José Martin Murrieta-Coxca3, Sonia Mayra Pérez-Tapia4, Sandra Rodríguez-Martínez3, Mario E. Cancino-Diaz3, and Juan C. Cancino-Diaz1* |
Address |
1Laboratory of Immunomicrobiology, Department of Microbiology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas-Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 11340, Mexico City, Mexico, 2Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Genetics-Research Unit, Instituto de Oftalmología Conde de Valenciana, 06800, Mexico City, Mexico, 3Laboratory of Innate Immunity, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas-Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 11340, Mexico City, Mexico, 4“Unidad de Desarrollo e Investigación en Bioprocesos” (UDIBI), Department of Immunology, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas-Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 11340, Mexico City, Mexico |
Bibliography |
Journal of Microbiology, 57(2),143–153, 2019,
|
DOI |
10.1007/s12275-019-8322-5
|
Key Words |
symbiosis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Agr, clinical,
commensal |
Abstract |
Staphylococci have quorum-sensing (QS) systems that enable
cell-to-cell communication, as well as the regulation of
numerous colonization and virulence factors. The accessory
gene regulator (Agr) operon is one of the Staphylococcus genus
QS systems. Three groups (I, II, and III) are present in
Staphylococcus epidermidis Agr operon. To date, it is unknown
whether Agr groups can interact symbiotically during biofilm
development. This study analyzed a symbiotic association
among Agr groups during biofilm formation in clinical
and commensal isolates. Different combinations among Agr
group isolates was used to study biofilm formation in vitro
and in vivo (using a mouse catheter-infection model). The
analysis of Agr groups were also performed from samples of
human skin (head, armpits, and nostrils). Different predominant
coexistence was found within biofilms, suggesting
symbiosis type. In vitro, Agr I had a competition with Agr II
and Agr III. Agr II had a competition with Agr III, and Agr II
was an antagonist to Agr I and III when the three strains
were combined. In vivo, Agr II had a competition to Agr I,
but Agr I and II were antagonists to Agr III. The associations
found in vitro and in vivo were also found in different sites
of the skin. Besides, other associations were observed: Agr III
antagonized Agr I and II, and Agr III competed with Agr I
and Agr II. These results suggest that, in S. epidermidis, a symbiotic
association of competition and antagonism occurs
among different Agr groups during biofilm formation. |