Microscopic techniques to evaluate the biofilm formation ability of a marine bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa PFL-P1 on different substrata

Screening different solid supports for Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation and determining its efficiency for decolorization and degradation of congo red

A global water crisis is emerging due to increasing levels of contaminated water and decreasing clean water supply on Earth. This study aims to address the removal of azo dye from wastewater to enable its reuse. Recently, utilizing microorganisms has been proven to be a practical choice for the remediation of azo dyes in wastewater. Hence, in this study, we employed a preformed biofilm of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on a solid support (called substrate) to degrade azo dyes. This process offers several advantages, such as stability, substrate portability, more biofilm production in less time, and efficient utilization of enzymes for remediation. From 50 ppm of initial Congo Red concentration, 75.74% decolorization was achieved within ten h using a preformed biofilm on a coverslip. A maximum of 52.27% decolorization was achieved using biofilm during its formation after 72 h of incubation. The Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis of Congo Red dye before and after remediation revealed a significant change in peak intensity, indicating dye degradation. Phytotoxicity studies performed by seed germination with Vigna radiata revealed that, after 5-7 days, almost 40% more seeds with longer root and shoot lengths were germinated in the presence of treated dye compared to the untreated one. This data indicated that the harmful Congo Red was successfully degraded to a non-toxic product by Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm grown on a glass substrate.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates from Water Samples of the Gulf of Mexico Show Similar Virulence Properties but Different Antibiotic Susceptibility Profiles than Clinical Isolates

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen found in a wide variety of environments, including soil, water, and habitats associated with animals, humans, and plants. From a One Health perspective, which recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, it is important to study the virulence characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility of environmental bacteria. In this study, we compared the virulence properties and the antibiotic resistance profiles of seven isolates collected from the Gulf of Mexico with those of seven clinical strains of P. aeruginosa. Our results indicate that the marine and clinical isolates tested exhibit similar virulence properties; they expressed different virulence factors and were able to kill Galleria mellonella larvae, an animal model commonly used to analyze the pathogenicity of many bacteria, including P. aeruginosa. In contrast, the clinical strains showed higher antibiotic resistance than the marine isolates. Consistently, the clinical strains exhibited a higher prevalence of class 1 integron, an indicator of anthropogenic impact, compared with the marine isolates. Thus, our results indicate that the P. aeruginosa marine strains analyzed in this study, isolated from the Gulf of Mexico, have similar virulence properties, but lower antibiotic resistance, than those from hospitals.

Functional amyloid fibrils of biofilm-forming marine bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa PFL-P1 interact spontaneously with pyrene and augment the biodegradation

Bacteria thrive in biofilms embedding in the three-dimensional extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Functional Amyloid in Pseudomonas (Fap), a protein in EPS, efficiently sequesters polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Present study reports the characterization of Fap fibrils from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PFL-P1 and describes the interaction with pyrene to assess the impact on pyrene degradation. Overexpression of fap in E. coli BL21(DE3) cells significantly enhances biofilm formation (p < 0.0001) and amyloid production (p = 0.0002), particularly with pyrene. Defibrillated Fap analysis reveals FapC monomers and increased fibrillation with pyrene. Circular Dichroism (CD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) unveil characteristic amyloid peaks and structural changes in Fap fibrils upon pyrene exposure. 3D-EEM analysis identifies a protein-like fluorophore in Fap fibrils, exhibiting pyrene-induced fluorescence quenching. Binding constants range from 5.23 to 7.78 M-1, with ΔG of -5.10 kJ mol-1 at 298 K, indicating spontaneous and exothermic interaction driven by hydrophobic forces. Exogenous Fap fibrils substantially increased the biofilm growth and pyrene degradation by P. aeruginosa PFL-P1 from 46 % to 64 % within 7 days (p = 0.0236). GC-MS identifies diverse metabolites, implying phthalic acid pathway in pyrene degradation. This study deepens insights into structural dynamics of Fap fibrils when exposed to pyrene, offering potential application in environmental bioremediation.

Treatment of low-pH rubber wastewater using ureolytic bacteria and the production of calcium carbonate precipitate for soil stabilization

Rubber wastewater contains variable low pH with a high load of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, suspended solids, high biological oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Ureolytic and biofilm-forming bacterial strains Bacillus sp. OS26, Bacillus cereus OS36, Lysinibacillus macroides ST13, and Burkholderia multivorans DF12 were isolated from rubber processing centres showed high urease activity. Microscopic analyses evaluated the structural organization of biofilm. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) matrix of the biofilm of the strains showed the higher abundance of polysaccharides and lipids which help in the attachment and absorption of nutrients. The functional groups of polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids present in EPS were revealed by ATR-FTIR and 1H NMR. A consortium composed of B. cereus OS36, L. macroides ST13, and B. multivorans DF12 showed the highest biofilm formation, and efficiently reduced 62% NH3, 72% total nitrogen, and 66% PO43-. This consortium also reduced 76% BOD, 61% COD, and 68% TDS. After bioremediation, the pH of the remediated wastewater increased to 11.19. To reduce the alkalinity of discharged wastewater, CaCl2 and urea were added for calcite reaction. The highest CaCO3 precipitate was obtained at 24.6 mM of CaCl2, 2% urea, and 0.0852 mM of nickel (Ni2+) as a co-factor which reduced the pH to 7.4. The elemental composition of CaCO3 precipitate was analyzed by SEM-EDX. XRD analysis of the bacterially-induced precipitate revealed a crystallinity index of 0.66. The resulting CaCO3 precipitate was used as soil stabilizer. The precipitate filled the void spaces of the treated soil, reduced the permeability by 80 times, and increased the compression by 8.56 times than untreated soil. Thus, CaCO3 precipitated by ureolytic and biofilm-forming bacterial consortium through ureolysis can be considered a promising approach for neutralization of rubber wastewater and soil stabilization.

Biodegradation of Nitrile Gloves as Sole Carbon Source of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Liquid Culture

Nitrile gloves have become a significant environmental pollutant after the COVID-19 pandemic due to their single-use design. This study examines the capability of P. aeruginosa to use nitrile gloves as its sole carbon energy source. Biodegradation was determined by P. aeruginosa adapting to increasing nitrile glove concentrations at 1%, 3%, and 5% (w/v). The growth kinetics of P. aeruginosa were evaluated, as well as the polymer weight loss. Topographic changes on the glove surfaces were examined using SEM, and FT-IR was used to evaluate the biodegradation products of the nitrile gloves. Following the establishment of a biofilm on the glove surface, the nitrile toxicity was minimized via biodegradation. The result of the average weight loss of nitrile gloves was 2.25%. FT-IR analysis revealed the presence of aldehydes and aliphatic amines associated with biodegradation. SEM showed P. aeruginosa immersed in the EPS matrix, causing the formation of cracks, scales, protrusions, and the presence of semi-spherical particles. We conclude that P. aeruginosa has the capability to use nitrile gloves as its sole carbon source, even up to 5%, through biofilm formation, demonstrating the potential of P. aeruginosa for the degradation of nitrile gloves.

Adaptive mechanism of the marine bacterium Pseudomonas sihuiensis-BFB-6S towards pCO2 variation: Insights into synthesis of extracellular polymeric substances and physiochemical modulation

Marine bacteria can adapt to various extreme environments by the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Throughout this investigation, impact of variable pCO2 levels on the metabolic activity and physiochemical modulation in EPS matrix of marine bacterium Pseudomonas sihuiensis - BFB-6S was evaluated using a fluorescence microscope, excitation-emission matrix (EEM), 2D-Fourier transform infrared correlation spectroscopy (2D-ATR-FTIR-COS), FT-NMR and TGA-DSC. From the results at higher pCO2 levels, there was a substantial reduction in EPS production by 58-62.8 % (DW). In addition to the biochemical composition of EPS, reduction in carbohydrates (8.7-47.6 %), protein (7.1-91.5 %), and lipids (16.9-68.6 %) content were observed at higher pCO2 levels. Functional discrepancies of fluorophores (tyrosine and tryptophan-like) in EPS, speckled differently in response to variable pCO2. The 2D-ATR-FTIR-COS analysis revealed functional amides (CN, CC, CO bending, -NH bending in amines) of EPS were preferentially altered, which led to the domination of polysaccharides relevant functional groups at higher pCO2. 1H NMR analysis of EPS confirmed the absence of chemical signals from H-C-COOH of proteins, α, β anomeric protons, and acetyl group relevant region at higher pCO2 levels. These findings can contribute new insights into the influence of pCO2 on the adaptation of marine microbes in future ocean acidification scenarios.

Cell surface hydrophobicity and petroleum hydrocarbon degradation by biofilm-forming marine bacterium Pseudomonas furukawaii PPS-19 under different physicochemical stressors

Biofilm-forming marine bacterium Pseudomonas furukawaii PPS-19 showed strong hydrophobicity under different physicochemical stressors, such as pH and salinity. Strong aggregation of P. furukawaii PPS-19 was observed at hydrophobic interfaces of n-dodecane and crude oil, while uptake of pyrene resulted in blue fluorescence of the bacterium. Changes in biofilm microcolonies were observed under different physicochemical stressors with maximum biofilm thickness of 15.15 µm and 15.77 µm at pH 7% and 1% salinity, respectively. Relative expression analysis of alkB2 gene revealed the maximum expression in n-dodecane (10.5 fold) at pH 7 (1 fold) and 1% salinity (8.3 fold). During the degradation process, a significant drop in surface tension resulted in increased emulsification activity. P. furukawaii PPS-19 showed the respective n-dodecane and pyrene degradation of 94.3% and 81.5% at pH 7% and 94.5% and 83% at 1% salinity. A significant positive correlation was obtained between cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), biofilm formation, and PHs degradation (P < 0.05) under all the physicochemical stressors, with the highest value at pH 7% and 1% salinity. Analysis of metabolites indicated that mono-terminal oxidation and multiple pathways were followed for n-dodecane and pyrene biodegradation, respectively. Thus, P. furukawaii PPS-19 is an efficient hydrocarbonoclastic bacterium that may be exploited for large-scale oil pollution abatement.

Variable pH and subsequent change in pCO2 modulates the biofilm formation, synthesis of extracellular polymeric substances, and survivability of a marine bacterium Bacillus stercoris GST-03

Biofilm-forming bacteria adhere to the substrates and engage in the nutrient cycling process. However, environmental conditions may interrupt the biofilm formation ability, which ultimately may affect various biogeochemical cycles. The present study reports the effect of varying pH and subsequent change in pCO₂ on the survivability, biofilm formation, and synthesis of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of a biofilm-forming marine bacterium Bacillus stercoris GST-03 isolated from the Bhitarkanika mangrove ecosystem, Odisha, India. Understanding the pH-dependent alteration in EPS constituents, and associated functional groups of a marine bacterium will provide better insight into the adaptability of the bacteria in future ocean acidification scenarios. The strain was found to tolerate and form biofilm up to pH 4, with the maximum biofilm formation at pH 6. EPS yield and the synthesis of the key components of the EPS, including carbohydrate, protein, and lipid, were found maximum at pH 6. Changes in biofilm formation patterns and various topological parameters at varying pH/pCO₂ conditions were observed. A cellular chaining pattern was observed at pH 4, and maximum biofilm formation was obtained at pH 6 with biomass of 5.28582 ± 0.5372 μm³/μm² and thickness of 9.982 ± 1.5288 μm. Structural characterization of EPS showed changes in various functional groups of constituent macromolecules with varying pH. The amorphous nature of the EPS and the changes in linkages and associated functional groups (-R₂CHOR, -CH₃, and -CH₂) with pH variation was confirmed. EPS showed a two-step degradation with a maximum weight loss of 59.147% and thermal stability up to 480 °C at pH 6. The present work efficiently demonstrates the role of EPS in providing structural and functional stability to the biofilm in varying pH conditions. The findings will provide a better understanding of the adaptability of marine bacteria in the future effect of ocean acidification.

Biofilm formation during wastewater treatment: Motility and physiological response of aerobic denitrifying bacteria under ammonia stress based on surface plasmon resonance imaging

A bacterial image analysis system based on surface plasmon resonance imaging was established to investigate the effect of bacterial motility on biofilm formation under high ammonia nitrogen at the single-cell level. The results showed that the bacterial mean rotation speed and vertical motility distance decreased with the increasing concentration of ammonia nitrogen. Ammonia nitrogen inhibited the metabolic activity of the bacteria, decreasing bacterial motility. Bacterial motility was negatively correlated with the biofilm-formation ability. The biofilm formation ability of Enterobacter cloacae strain HNR exposed to ammonia nitrogen was enhanced by reducing its movement and promoting EPS secretion. Genes related to the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation were down-regulated, indicating inhibition of microbial energy metabolism. Genes related to bacterial secretion and lipopolysaccharide synthesis were up-regulated, facilitating the formation of biofilms and enabling the bacteria to resist ammonia nitrogen stress. This study provides new insights into the biofilm formation under ammonia stress.

Unraveling the complex regulatory networks in biofilm formation in bacteria and relevance of biofilms in environmental remediation

Biofilms are assemblages of bacteria embedded within a matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) attached to a substratum. The process of biofilm formation is a complex phenomenon regulated by the intracellular and intercellular signaling systems. Various secondary messenger molecules such as cyclic dimeric guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (c-di-GMP), cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP), and cyclic dimeric adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (c-di-AMP) are involved in complex signaling networks to regulate biofilm development in several bacteria. Moreover, the cell to cell communication system known as Quorum Sensing (QS) also regulates biofilm formation via diverse mechanisms in various bacterial species. Bacteria often switch to the biofilm lifestyle in the presence of toxic pollutants to improve their survivability. Bacteria within a biofilm possess several advantages with regard to the degradation of harmful pollutants, such as increased protection within the biofilm to resist the toxic pollutants, synthesis of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that helps in the sequestration of pollutants, elevated catabolic gene expression within the biofilm microenvironment, higher cell density possessing a large pool of genetic resources, adhesion ability to a wide range of substrata, and metabolic heterogeneity. Therefore, a comprehensive account of the various factors regulating biofilm development would provide valuable insights to modulate biofilm formation for improved bioremediation practices. This review summarizes the complex regulatory networks that influence biofilm development in bacteria, with a major focus on the applications of bacterial biofilms for environmental restoration.