Identification of genes induced in P. aeruginosa biofilms by microarray analysis

Transcriptome analysis was applied to characterize the physiological activities of Psuedomonas aeruginosa cells grown for three days in drip flow biofilm reactors when compared to the activities of P. aeruginosa grown planktonically to exponential phase in the same media. Here, rather than examining the effect of an individual gene on biofilm antibiotic tolerance, we used a transcriptomics approach to identify regulons and groups of related genes that are induced during biofilm growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We then tested for statistically significant overlap between the biofilm-induced genes and independently compiled gene lists corresponding to stress responses and other putative antibiotic protective mechanisms. This data was evaluated and used to select strains that carry transposon mutations in genes that might play a role in antibiotic tolerance of biofilms. The strains were evaluated for defects in biofilm tolerance.

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Stewart PS, Franklin MJ, Williamson KS, Folsom JP, Boegli L, James GA