Gomes T, Ribeiro P S, Carvalho N B, El-Hani C N, Figueira C P, Ristow P
Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia 40170-115 Brazil.
Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901 Brazil.
Indian J Microbiol. 2023 Sep;63(3):373-379. doi: 10.1007/s12088-023-01085-6. Epub 2023 Sep 2.
Extracellular DNA (eDNA) is a major component of bacterial biofilms. In this study, we performed a three-dimensional analysis of biofilm using advanced imaging by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and multi-parameter analysis by COMSTAT 2 software, with quantification of and eDNA fluorescence. To investigate the role of eDNA in biofilm, we treated biofilms with DNase I enzyme (DNase), which digested eDNA, and compared DNase treated biofilms and controls. There was a significant reduction of the biomass of biofilms treated with DNase, by spectrophotometry and COMSTAT analysis. The multiparameter analysis evidenced for DNase-treated biofilms a significant decrease in the surface area and the average thickness; opposing to a significant augmentation of the surface/biovolume ratio and the roughness coefficient (Ra*), when compared to controls. We analyzed the parameters of DNase-treated biofilms by Pearson's correlation coefficient and found significant positive correlations between biomass and average thickness; biomass and surface area; surface area and average thickness. On the other hand, there were significant negative correlations between Ra* and biomass; Ra* and average thickness; Ra* and surface area. These findings suggest that eDNA digestion results in biofilm instability and alteration of the three-dimensional architecture, justifying the negative correlation between Ra* and the above-mentioned parameters. In conclusion, our study showed that eDNA digestion produced a massive structural loss, instability, and dramatic changes in the three-dimensional architecture of biofilm. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the role of eDNA and highlight the importance of eDNA as a key component in biofilms.
细胞外DNA(eDNA)是细菌生物膜的主要成分。在本研究中,我们使用共聚焦激光扫描显微镜(CLSM)进行高级成像,并通过COMSTAT 2软件进行多参数分析,对生物膜进行了三维分析,同时对eDNA荧光进行了定量。为了研究eDNA在生物膜中的作用,我们用能消化eDNA的脱氧核糖核酸酶I(DNase)处理生物膜,并比较了经DNase处理的生物膜和对照。通过分光光度法和COMSTAT分析发现,经DNase处理的生物膜生物量显著减少。多参数分析表明,与对照相比,经DNase处理的生物膜表面积和平均厚度显著降低;而表面/生物体积比和粗糙度系数(Ra*)则显著增加。我们通过Pearson相关系数分析了经DNase处理的生物膜的参数,发现生物量与平均厚度之间、生物量与表面积之间、表面积与平均厚度之间存在显著正相关。另一方面,Ra与生物量之间、Ra与平均厚度之间、Ra与表面积之间存在显著负相关。这些发现表明,eDNA消化导致生物膜不稳定和三维结构改变,这证明了Ra与上述参数之间的负相关。总之,我们的研究表明,eDNA消化导致生物膜出现大量结构损失、不稳定以及三维结构的显著变化。这些发现有助于更好地理解eDNA的作用,并突出了eDNA作为生物膜关键成分的重要性。