Many bacteria secrete secondary metabolites, whose production is decoupled from active growth in laboratory cultures. Historically, the advantages of secondary metabolite production have mostly been explored in the context of cellular interactions, such as antibiotic effects on competing organisms, damage caused to host tissues during infection, or cell density-dependent signaling. However, recent studies in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa have brought into focus the physiological effects of secondary metabolites on their producer and their implications for multicellular behavior. P. aeruginosa produces antibiotics called phenazines, which can act as mediators to transfer reducing power to an extracellular oxidant and thereby support bacterial survival when oxygen is not accessible. In the crowded environments of biofilms, communities of bacteria surrounded by self-made matrices, this property of phenazines could support energy generation for cells in anoxic subzones. As biofilm formation is a hallmark of P. aeruginosa colonization at various infection sites within the body, I was motivated to investigate the regulation of phenazine production at the level of synthesis and transport, the distribution of phenazines in P. aeruginosa biofilms, and the effects of individual phenazines on P. aeruginosa gene expression and colony biofilm morphogenesis. As part of this work, a novel electrochemical device was developed that enables direct detection of phenazines released from intact colony biofilms. Application of this device and other electrochemical techniques enabled detection of the reactive phenazine intermediate 5-Me-PCA, which was found to be the primary phenazine affecting P. aeruginosa colony morphogenesis. The production of this phenazine was found to be sufficient for activation of the redox-active transcription factor SoxR and full induction of the RND efflux pump MexGHI-OpmD. Finally, results described in this thesis show that 5-Me-PCA is transported by MexGHI-OpmD, constituting a unique demonstration of the self-protective role of an efflux pump in a gram-negative antibiotic-producing bacterium. These findings raise broad questions about the effects of individual phenazines on biofilm cell physiology and have implications for the contributions of individual phenazines to virulence and survival during infection. The technology developed also has potential applications in novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Chapters 1-3 introduce and highlight advances made in understanding secondary metabolite production, with a focus on P. aeruginosa. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to antibiotic production, the concept of self-resistance and other physiological effects of antibiotics in their producers, and infections caused by P. aeruginosa. Chapter 2 reviews recent studies that have brought into focus the physiological effects of secondary metabolites on their producers and their implications for multicellular behavior. Chapter 3 provides an overview of our current understanding of the regulation of phenazine production in pseudomonads and other bacterial species. Chapter 4 describes the development of an integrated circuit-based platform for detection of redox-active metabolites released from multicellular samples, and demonstrates its application to mapping phenazines released from P. aeruginosa biofilms. The study described in Chapter 5 investigates the role of the P. aeruginosa SoxR regulon, which is induced by phenazines, in phenazine transport and shows that the understudied reactive phenazine 5-methylphenazine-1-carboxylic acid (5-Me-PCA) is transported by the RND efflux pump MexGHI-OpmD and is required for wild-type biofilm formation. Chapter 6 describes the development of an assay for 5-Me-PCA production and studies exploring the role of the regulator PsrA in controlling phenazine biosynthesis. Chapter 7 provides an overview of the findings and open questions to be explored in future research. The P. aeruginosa genome contains two nearly identical operons that encode biosynthetic enzymes for the production of phenazine-1-carboxylic acid, the precursor to all of the other phenazines. The study described in Appendix A characterizes the respective contributions of these operons to phenazine production in shaken liquid cultures and biofilms. Appendix B presents evidence that electron acceptor availability influences, and is influenced by, the morphogenesis of P. aeruginosa colony biofilms. Finally, Appendix C describes a screen for commercially available compounds that inhibit production of the phenazine pyocyanin by P. aeruginosa. Together, these findings reveal the unique physiological roles of specific phenazine-related genetic loci and regulatory proteins and of 5-Me-PCA, a phenazine that was previously overlooked due to the technical challenges associated with its detection. They have also uncovered novel aspects of phenazine production in both shaken liquid cultures and biofilms relevant for the development of therapeutics.

Redox chemistry is the basis for biological energy generation and anabolism. Redox conditions also serve as critical cues that modulate the development of many organisms. Roles for redox chemistry in the control of gene expression have been well characterized in multicellular eukaryotes, where oxygen availability in particular is a major developmental cue. As a gaseous metabolic substrate, oxygen becomes limiting as cellular communities grow, and can act as an indicator of aggregate size or developmental stage. In many of these cases, there are dedicated sensory and signal transduction networks that link oxygen and other redox signals to changes in gene expression and morphogenesis. The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, like many species of microbes, forms multicellular structures called biofilms. Cells in biofilms can assume physiological states that differ from cells grown in well-mixed, homogeneous liquid cultures. They often exhibit increased resistance to environmental stresses and antibiotics, rendering biofilm physiology an important focus in the study of microbial pathogens. Biofilm development and architecture are tuned by environmental conditions. In turn, growth and survival in the community, and the specific structure of that community, give rise to internal microenvironments that are experienced by cells within a biofilm. Mechanisms that tune biofilm developmental programs in response to redox conditions are not well understood. This is due to challenges presented by most popular laboratory models of biofilm formation, which are not amenable to perturbation, characterization at the microscale, or high-throughput screening or analysis. In this thesis, I describe a standardized colony morphology assay for the study of P. aeruginosa PA14 biofilm development and use this model to address fundamental questions about the relationships between electron acceptor availability, biofilm cell physiology, and the regulation of biofilm morphogenesis. In the colony morphology assay, PA14 grows as ~1cm-diameter biofilms on agar-solidified media under controlled conditions, and displays a developmental pattern that is predictably influenced by changes in redox conditions. Microscale heterogeneity in chemical ecology can be profiled using microelectrodes, and the effects of specific mutations on development can be rigorously tested through high-throughput screening and the application of metabolic assays directly to biofilm samples. Prior to the work described here, application of the colony morphology assay had revealed that endogenous redox-active antibiotics called phenazines influence PA14 biofilm development such that defects in phenazine production promote colony wrinkling and the formation of a distinct wrinkle pattern. As phenazines can act as alternate electron acceptors for cellular metabolism, this provided an early clue to the role of redox conditions in determining biofilm architecture. The introduction to this thesis (Chapter 1) provides an overview of observations in P. aeruginosa and other microbes, drawing parallels between the physiology of colony biofilm development across phylogeny and highlighting specific preliminary studies that hint at redox-sensing mechanisms and signaling pathways that drive community morphogenesis. The associated Appendix A examines the effects of CORM-2, a synthetic compound that releases the respiratory poison carbon monoxide, on P. aeruginosa biofilm development. The inhibitory effects of CORM-2 are ameliorated by reducing agents and increased availability of electron donors for P. aeruginosa metabolism. Chapter 2 describes the foundational characterization of the P. aeruginosa PA14 colony morphology assay model, which showed that colony wrinkling is invoked under high intracellular NADH levels and electron acceptor-limiting conditions, suggesting that it is an adaptive strategy to increase access to electron acceptor. The associated Appendices B and C describe (i) a mathematical modeling approach demonstrating that wrinkle geometry is indeed optimized for efficient access to electron acceptors, and (ii) a study investigating the effects of phenazine antibiotics on the multicellular development of a eukaryotic microbe. Chapter 3 details the identification and characterization of a candidate mediator of the multicellular response to electron acceptor availability in PA14 called RmcA. RmcA contains domains that have been implicated in redox-sensitive developmental control in eukaryotic systems and domains that modulate intracellular levels of cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP). C-di-GMP is an important secondary messenger that controls social behaviors, including the secretion of factors required for colony biofilm structure formation, in diverse bacteria. RmcA thus bridges the gap between sensing of redox signals and colony morphogenesis. Appendix D outlines my approaches to purification and attempts to crystallize this and one other protein contributing to PA14 redox-driven colony morphogenesis. Finally, Appendix E describes the role of another protein that modulates c-di-GMP in response to metabolite-dependent signaling and physiological effects during interactions between P. aeruginosa and the fungus C. albicans. Together, the findings presented in this thesis have expanded our knowledge about the role that redox chemistry plays in biofilm development.

A bacterial biofilm is a community of sessile cells encased in a matrix composed of polysaccharides, proteins, and extracellular DNA that develops according to a reproducible morphogenic program. This morphogenic program is deeply influenced by prevailing redox conditions within the biofilm, which are established by a gradient of terminal electron acceptor through the depth of the biofilm. Terminal electron acceptor limitation leads to redox stress, measured as an elevated ratio of reduced to oxidized forms of the metabolic cofactor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, NAD(H). In biofilms of the gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, redox stress is relieved by the presence of diffusible redox-cycling molecules, phenazines, that are able to act as an electrical conduit between intracellular NADH and oxygen in the aerobic zone of the biofilm. This is most apparent in the dramatically hyperspread and hyperwrinkled morphologies observed in colony biofilms unable to produce phenazines. However, the ability of phenazines to act as a biologically relevant redox couple between the reducing equivalents of metabolism and atmospheric oxygen also renders them toxic to producing cells. In order to avoid phenazine toxicity, P. aeruginosa encodes self-resistance mechanisms under the control of the redox-sensitive transcription factor SoxR. Two components of the SoxR regulon, the efflux pump MexGHI-OpmD and the monooxygenase PumA, are known to be major contributors to survival in the presence of toxic concentrations of phenazines. This work further details the role of the small protein MexG (Chapter 3) and PumA in phenazine resistance (Chapter 4), and presents an electrochemical platform for studying the effects of a phenazine redox gradient in biofilm morphogenesis (Chapter 5).

Bacteria, while traditionally studied in liquid suspensions, are often found in nature as biofilms, aggregates of cells enclosed in self-produced matrices. Cells in biofilms have a fitness advantage over those that are free-living, as the biofilm lifestyle is correlated with increased resistance to various assaults, including antimicrobials, UV exposure, and dehydration. These biofilm-associated characteristics have important clinical implications, as biofilm-based bacterial infections are a major cause of morbidity in immunocompromised individuals. With this increased resiliency, however, comes a major challenge that arises during biofilm growth: the formation of resource gradients. My thesis work focused on one particular gradient, that of oxygen, which is established in biofilms formed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This bacterium has multiple mechanisms for coping with limited access to oxygen, including a highly-branched respiratory system for optimal oxygen scavenging and production and utilization of redox-active molecules called phenazines. The purpose of this thesis has been to investigate the different strategies used by P. aeruginosa to deal with the oxygen limitation precipitated by the biofilm lifestyle. In Chapter 1, I will provide the necessary background for understanding the principles of redox balancing, metabolism, respiration, biofilm physiology, and phenazine utilization in P. aeruginosa. The work described in Chapter 2 provides evidence for the formation of a novel terminal oxidase complex that plays a biofilm-specific role in P. aeruginosa growth. The results in this chapter also suggest that specific terminal oxidase complexes differ in the timing of their contributions to biofilm growth and implicate the novel complex in mediating reduction of phenazines in biofilms. Chapter 3 expands upon the principle of metabolic versatility exemplified by the results discussed in Chapter 2. The research presented in this chapter looks at how varying the source of electrons that feed into the respiratory chain influences downstream electron transfer steps, including terminal oxidase activities and phenazine production and utilization. The data presented in Chapters 2 and 3 add to the growing body of evidence that bacterial growth in liquid culture is distinct from that in biofilms and underscores the need for more biofilm-based research that can inform treatment strategies for P. aeruginosa infections. The results described in Chapter 4 take an even broader look at the strategies used by P. aeruginosa to sustain efficient metabolism under conditions of potential stress. An important node of central metabolism is pyruvate, which can be transformed in a number of ways. In this chapter, I will consider two pathways of pyruvate metabolism: fermentation to lactate and carboxylation to oxaloacetate. I will present data indicating that a previously-uncharacterized lactate dehydrogenase contributes to P. aeruginosa growth under specific growth conditions and that pyruvate carboxylation contributes to optimal progress through central metabolic pathways. I will also describe experiments that characterize the contributions of another carboxylase, previously thought to function as the pyruvate carboxylase, to P. aeruginosa’s ability to grow on selected nutrient sources. Finally, I will discuss how redox state informs biofilm formation in a phylogenetically distinct bacterium, Bacillus subtilis, highlighting the universality of redox reactions in driving metabolic processes. In sum, the research presented in this thesis broadens our understanding of the immense respiratory and metabolic flexibility of P. aeruginosa and serves as an important reminder of the discrete factors that govern liquid culture and biofilm growth.

Orientador: Marlise Inêz Klein / Resumo: O objetivo foi avaliar quais são os mecanismos de Streptococcus mutans e de Candida albicans que contribuem para aumentar a patogenicidade do biofilme misto. Biofilmes mistos e simples das cepas S. mutans UA159 (Sm) e C. albicans SC5314 (Ca) foram formados sobre discos de hidroxiapatita com película salivar, na presença de sacarose. O pH do meio de cultura foi aferido em diversas fases de desenvolvimento do biofilme. Após 43h de crescimento, foram realizadas análises bioquímicas (peso seco, proteinas, composição da matriz extracelular) e de população microbiana. A estrutura dos biofilmes foi avaliada por microscopia confocal em 19 e 43h. A expressão de genes de vias metabólicas de ambas espécies foi verificada em 28h. Os dados foram avaliados por métodos estatísticos considerando α=0,05. Verificou-se diferença do pH do meio para os três biofilmes nos tempos 19, 27 e 43h (p<0,001; ANOVA dois critérios, Tukey). Biofilmes de Sm e misto foram mais ácidos em 19 e 43h, enquanto biofilmes de Ca mantiveram o pH neutro (p>0,05). As quantidades do peso seco e de proteínas de biofilme misto foram maiores comparadas aos biofilmes simples, e menores para Ca (p=0,001; ANOVA um critério). Não houve diferença na quantidade de exopolissacarídeos solúveis entre biofilmes Sm e misto, porém o biofilme Ca apresentou menor quantidade (p<0,001; Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn). Houve maior quantidade de exopolissacarídeos insolúveis em biofilme misto (p=0,002). Verificou-se mesmo comportamento populacional pa... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The objective was to evaluate the mechanisms of Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans that contribute to increasing the pathogenicity of the mixed-species biofilm. Mixed and single-species biofilms of the strains S. mutans UA159 (Sm) and C. albicans SC5314 (Ca) were formed on saliva-coated hydroxyapatite discs in the presence of sucrose. The pH values of the culture media were verified at distinct developmental phases of biofilms. After 43h of growth, the biofilms were subjected to distinct assays biochemical (dry weight, proteins, the composition of extracellular matrix) and microbiological (colony forming units), analyzes. The biofilm's structure was verified via confocal microscopy at 19 and 43h. Gene expression of metabolic ways from both species was evaluated at 28h. The data were assessed by statistical methods (α=0,05). There was a difference in the media pH for the three biofilms at times 19, 27 and 43h (p<0,001; two-way ANOVA, Tukey). Sm and mixed-species biofilms were acidic at 19 and 43h, while Ca biofilms maintained a neutral pH (p>0,05). The amounts of dry weight and proteins were higher for mixed-species biofilm compared to singlespecies biofilms, being lower for Ca (p=0,001; one-way ANOVA). The quantity of soluble exopolysaccharides was similar for Sm and mixed-species biofilms but Ca presented a lower amount than those biofilms (p<0,001; Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn). There was a higher amount of insoluble exopolysaccharides in mixed-species biofilm (p=0,002). There was no difference in Sm population in single- and mixed-species biofilms (p=0,404; Mann Whitney); however, the mixed-species biofilm presents a higher population of Ca versus the single-species biofilm (p<0,001; t-Test). The threedimensional structure analysis showed larger microcolonies in mixed-species biofilms versus Sm biofilm, and absence of these structures in Ca biofilm...(Complete abstract electronic access below) / Mestre

Submitted by Aline Chiodi Borges null (aline.borges@ict.unesp.br) on 2017-02-01T12:59:00Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE Aline Chiodi Borges.pdf: 2538445 bytes, checksum: b94b3366c29227ee5a2e026711c63088 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by LUIZA DE MENEZES ROMANETTO (luizamenezes@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2017-02-03T19:27:38Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 borges_ac_dr_sjc.pdf: 2538445 bytes, checksum: b94b3366c29227ee5a2e026711c63088 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-03T19:27:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 borges_ac_dr_sjc.pdf: 2538445 bytes, checksum: b94b3366c29227ee5a2e026711c63088 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-15 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / As doenças fúngicas representam grande desafio para a área médica e odontológica devido à crescente prevalência e aumento da resistência aos antifúngicos. O plasma frio sob pressão atmosférica (PFPA) é uma mistura gasosa contendo partículas carregadas, radicais livres e radiação. Sua potencial aplicação em doenças infecciosas foi relatada, contudo a literatura carece de estudo sistemático sobre o efeito antifúngico, mecanismos de ação e potencial citotóxico. Neste trabalho foi avaliado o efeito antifúngico do PFPA sobre Candida albicans através de ensaios em células planctônicas e biofilmes, efeitos sobre a integridade de parede celular e membrana plasmática, morfogênese, produção de exoenzimas, aderência às células epiteliais e efeito no tratamento in vivo de lesões de candidose oral induzida em modelo murino. Ainda, avaliou-se o efeito do PFPA sobre culturas de Trichophyton rubrum, além de efeitos sobre capacidade de adesão de conídios. Ainda, o potencial citotóxico foi investigado usando células epiteliais. PFPA em modo de tensão contínuo (MC) foi capaz de reduzir a aderência de C. albicans às células epiteliais, modular a transição levedura-hifa na cepa SC 5314 e comprometer a viabilidade de biofilmes. PFPA-MC se mostrou citotóxico em parâmetros efetivos frente a biofilmes de C. albicans. Porém, não foi observado efeito citotóxico quando o PFPA foi utilizado em modo de tensão pulsada (MP). A exposição ao PFPA-MP reduziu a invasão de C. albicans no epitélio in vivo. O PFPA-MP foi capaz de afetar o crescimento de T. rubrum a partir de 10 minutos e de afetar a sua capacidade de aderência. Assim, conclui-se que PFPA apresenta efeito antifúngico contra C. albicans e T. rubrum e é capaz de interferir em fatores de virulência de ambos os micro-organismos. / Fungal diseases represent a great challenge to the medical and dental areas, due to the increasing prevalence and antifungal resistance. Atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) is a gaseous mixture containing charged particles, free radicals and radiation. Its potential application in infectious disease has been reported, however there is still a lack of a systematic study on the antifungal effect, mechanism of action and citotoxicc potential. The general aim of this project was to evaluate the antifungal effect of APPJ on Candida albicans in planktonic and biofilm cultures, effects on cell wall and cell membrane integrity, morphogenesis, exoenzymes production, adherence to epithelial cells and in vivo effect in the treatment of oral candidosis in murine model will be performed. The effect of APPJ on Trichophyton rubrum cultures and on adherence capability were also evaluated. The cytotoxic potential was evaluated in vitro. APPJ in continuous tension mode (CM) was able to reduce the adherence and yeast-hyphae transition in C. albicans SC 5314 and to decrease biofilm viability. APPJ-CM showed cytotoxic effect in the parameters effective to C. albicans biofilm. Conversely, no cytotoxic effect on epithelial cells were observed when pulsed (PM) plasma jet was used. In vivo tests showed that APPJ-PM was able to prevent C. albicans invasion to the epithelium. T. rubrum cultures were affectd by APPJ-PM after 15 minutes of exposure and conidia adherence was impaired by 10 minutes exposure. In conclusion, APPJ showed antifungal effect against C. albicans and T. rubrum and can also impair virulence factors in both microorganisms. / FAPESP: 2014/02354-7

Bacterial strain Pseudomonas sp. ADP is capable of degrading atrazine via an enzymatic pathway in six sequential steps to yield carbon dioxide and ammonia. Atrazine is a persistent herbicide that frequently contaminates soil, drinking water, and ground water throughout areas of heavy use in the United States. A biological remediation approach using Pseudomonas sp. APD is considered as an effective, cost-efficient, and environmentally conscious method of decreasing atrazine concentration in areas of high contamination. Each enzyme in the degradation pathway is encoded by a corresponding gene, AtzA-AtzF, and is located on a self-transmissible 108-kb plasmid. Due to their prevalence in nature, and their unique genetic and physical characteristics, biofilms are of great interest in the field of bioremediation. Biofilms exhibit high tolerance for harsh environmental stressors/conditions, prodigious potential for recalcitrant compound entrapment via an extracellular polymeric matrix, quorum sensing, and increased horizontal gene transfer compared to their planktonic counterparts. Despite frequent genetic and chemical analyses performed on atrazine-degrading genes on planktonic cells of strain Pseudomonas sp. APD, the genetics and degradation potential of Pseudomonas sp. ADP biofilms is relatively unexplored. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to differentiate the expression of six genes involved in the process of atrazine degradation. Relative expression experiments revealed no statistically significant difference in the expression of atrazine-degrading genes in Pseudomonas sp. ADP cells grown as biofilms relative to Pseudomonas sp. ADP cells grown as planktonic cells. In biofilms alone, the expression of genes AtzDEF was differentiated via temperature of biofilm growth in cells grown at 25, 30, and 37 degrees. Analytical techniques, including GC-MS and HPLC, were used to elucidate atrazine remediation potential of Pseudomonas sp. ADP biofilms and our previously collected genetic data. Stable decreases in atrazine degradation following a first-order kinetic model have been demonstrated for planktonic cells compared to a complex degradation pattern, including transient increases, observed for corresponding biofilm-mediated cells. This is attributed to the unique structure of the biofilm and the potential of atrazine to be entrapped in the substances of the extracellular polymeric matrix and subsequently released into the effluent. Overall, the biodegradation efficiency was higher for Pseudomonas sp. ADP biofilm-mediated cells compared to their planktonic counterparts. A novel methodology of using confocal microscopy and in situ reverse transcription was proposed for optimization to visualize the expression of atrazine-degrading genes in fixed Pseudomonas sp. ADP biofilms. The sugar composition of Pseudomonas sp. ADP was evaluated using fluorescent lectin binding analysis and was determined to exhibit a prominent level of diversity and dependent upon growth medium. The results from these experiments will play a role in application of biofilms grown in bioreactors for atrazine remediation throughout areas of persistent and high contamination throughout the US. The new step in methodology development of an in situ visual gene expression technique can be extended to bioremediation of alternate recalcitrant compounds. The results may also be aid progress in alternate biofilm-related studies in medicine & human health, metallurgy, and engineering.

Orientador: Luana Marotta Reis de Vasconcellos / Coorientador: Adriano Gonçalves dos Reis / Banca: Marianne Spalding / Banca: Newton Soares da Silva / Banca: Alexandre Luiz Souto Borges / Banca: Jonatas Rafael de Oliveira / Resumo: Neste estudo foram caracterizadas superfícies de titânio (Ti) obtidas após utilização de diferentes temperaturas pela técnica de implantação iônica por imersão em plasma de oxigênio (O-IIIP), bem como correlacionado o efeito deste tratamento com a osteogênese e formação de biofilmes microbianos monotípicos. As amostras foram caracterizadas por meio de análises de química de superfície, rugosidade e textura da superfície, molhabilidade e resistência à corrosão. Além disso, análises de biocompatibilidade por meio de interação e viabilidade celular, conteúdo de proteína total, atividade de fosfatase alcalina e quantificação de nódulos de mineralização foram realizadas sobre a linhagem celular MG-63 (osteoblato humano). Análise de formação de biofilmes de Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans e Candida albicans sobre as superfícies também foi realizada. Os dados foram estatisticamente analisados por teste ANOVA e Tukey (p<0,05, p<0,001 e p<0,0001). Os resultados das análises de química de superfície demonstraram um aumento proporcional da quantidade de O conforme aumento da temperatura utilizada na técnica de O-IIIP, verificando ainda a presença de TiO2 nos grupos tratados a 500ºC e 600ºC. Foi observado que, em escala nanométrica, houve um aumento significativo da rugosidade e da área superficial nas amostras tratadas com O-IIIP conforme aumento da temperatura utilizada, apresentando ainda, um aumento significativo da hidrofobicidade e resistência à ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: In this study, titanium surfaces were produced by the ion implantation technique, immersing samples in oxygen plasma (O-IIIP), at different temperatures. Therapeutic effects of the surface modification were evaluated for osteogenesis and formation of monotypic microbial biofilms. Roughness, texture, wettability, corrosion resistance and chemical composition of the samples were characterized. Moreover, biocompatibility of the produced materials was verified by cell interaction and viability, total protein content, alkaline phosphatase activity, and quantification of mineralization nodules assays were performed on MG-63 (human osteoblate) cells. Biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans on surfaces was also evaluated. Data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey test. A proportional intensification in the amount of oxygen was observed as the temperature used in the O-IIIP technique raised, also, TiO2 was observed in the groups treated at 500 ºC and 600 ºC. At nanoscale, there was a statistic increase in both roughness and surface area in samples treated with O-IIIP as a result of the increase of the temperature used. Hydrophobicity and corrosion resistance were also higher in samples treated with OIIIP. According to the performed biocompatibility analyzes, cell viability, total protein production, alkaline phosphatase activity and the formation of mineralized nodules were stimulated and increased in the group treated with O-IIIP at 600 ºC, compared to the other groups. In the assays performed with monotypic microbial biofilms, a statistic reduction of microorganisms was observed especially in the groups submitted to O-IIIP treatment at 500 ºC and 600 ºC. Therefore, we demonstrated here that O-IIIP technique was able to chemically and physically modify surfaces,... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary multi-organ disorder characterized by formation of thick, viscous mucus in the lungs, leading to decreased fluid clearance and significant bacterial colonization. The bacteria form colonies, called biofilms, that are attached to the mucosal surface and produce a protective polymeric matrix. The matrix helps the biofilms form stable structures in the lungs while also protecting the embedded bacterial colonies from the host defense system and antimicrobials. Pseudomonas aeruginosa are opportunistic bacteria that commonly infect CF airways in the biofilm form. Current antibiotic treatment regimens fail to completely eradicate these biofilms, leading to chronic, persistent infections that over time lead to patient death. Therefore, there is a need to investigate antibacterial strategies that would completely eradicate these infections at reasonable doses and improve quality of patients’ lives. In this thesis, two strategies are investigated to better eradicate bacterial colonies – (1) the use of nutrient dispersion compounds for increasing the susceptibility of biofilm bacteria to the co-administered antibiotics, and (2) PEGylation of antimicrobial peptides to increase peptide retention in the lung airways. Clinical strains of P. aeruginosa isolated from lungs of CF patients were used in this research to better mimic the greater robustness of clinical biofilms compared to biofilms of laboratory bacterial strains. Growth curve studies were carried out to characterize the growth patterns of the bacterial strains. Antibiotic susceptibility of the planktonic (free-flowing) bacteria was studied using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. A method to grow and characterize 1-day and 4-day old biofilms in the minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) assay apparatus was developed and characterized. The MBECs of combination formulations consisting of an antibiotic and a nutrient dispersion compound for different treatment durations were measured against biofilms of the clinical isolates using four commonly used antibiotics, and sodium citrate as the nutrient dispersion compound. The growth curve studies allowed for better understanding of the clinical isolates’ growth rates in vitro, which could play an important role on their susceptibility to antibiotics. All bacterial strains displayed susceptibility to tobramycin sulfate and ciprofloxacin hydrochloride. Uniform bacterial growth was observed for 1-day old biofilms of both clinical isolates across all pegs. Growing 4-day old biofilms using 100% MHB without refreshing the bacterial suspension over 4 days gave uniform biofilm bacterial growth across the pegs. Four-day old biofilms displayed greater biomass than 1-day old biofilms for 2 out of 3 bacterial strains. Combination formulations eradicated 1-day and 4-day old biofilms at lower antibiotic concentrations than the antibiotic alone, with further improvement in eradication after increasing the duration of treatment. Sodium citrate did not enhance the metabolic activity of the biofilm bacteria. The antimicrobial peptide CaLL was conjugated with different MW polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecules using disulfide and maleimide linkages, and the effect of PEGylation on its antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa laboratory strain PAO1 was evaluated. PEGylation was observed to reduce bacterial growth inhibition by CaLL, with the disulfide-linked CaLL-PEG less efficacious than the maleimide-linked CaLL-PEG. Time-kill assays demonstrated the longer duration of action of PEGylated peptides compared to non-PEGylated peptides, probably due to prevention of enzymatic degradation of the peptide by the PEG molecule. This research will shed light on antibacterial strategies for complete and rapid eradication of bacterial biofilms, thereby reducing development of antibiotic resistance and prevent recurrence of infection, reducing progressive lung damage caused in people with CF, and improve their quality of life.

A semi-synthetic medium for use in determining adherent growth with Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus was developed. Production of an adherent biofilm was dependent upon the presence of hematin in the growth medium. Clinical strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis were tested for production of an adherent biofilm in trypticase soy broth, the semi-synthetic medium and the hyperalimentary nutrient solution used in the neonatal hospital unit. An adherent biofilm was obtained when Staphylococcus epidermidis was cultured m hematin supplemented hyperalimentary solution. Growth in the hyperalimentary nutrient solution diluted with fetal calf serum showed the same growth rate as when the nutrient solution was diluted with water. The final growth yield was always higher in serum diluted nutrients. There was no effect of hematin on the growth rate of the organisms.