Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9044-9084
Date of Award
30-1-2025
Document Type
Thesis
School
School of Chemical & Biotechnology
Programme
Ph.D.-Doctoral of Philosophy
First Advisor
Dr.N.Saisubramanian
Keywords
Biofilm Biology, Diagnosis, Therapeutics, Social Interactions, Urinary Tract Infections
Abstract
Bacteria in nature live together encased in a matrix creating community ecosystems called biofilms, this structured space protects them from hostile environments. This study aimed to understand the role of the biofilm matrix in the growth and survival of Enterobacteriaceae. Our hypothesis proposes that subgroups of individuals within a biofilm can specialize in the production of different matrix components.
Matrix expression is metabolically costly, despite its unicellular simplicity, microbes can coordinate complex behaviour like sharing of matrix between producers and non-producers as an adept evolutionary strategy. Their resilience to stress during biofilm formation was studied to assess their abilities to cooperate and produce biofilms.
Phenotypic and morphological characteristics of the colonies were typed using Congo red assay and the influence of matrix on the architecture of biofilms was visualized using scanning electron microscopy. Our results show that matrix aids in survival during stress and possible sharing of the matrix is occurring in co-culture, with one counterbalancing the inability of the other when confronted with stress.
By deeply studying the role of the matrix, we understood how important the matrix is in causing a chronic infection and how potential biomarker it is, for detection and thwarting an infection, so we decided to turn the pathogen’s weapon against them by targeting the matrix which further led to the other objectives of development of a matrix-based treatment and matrix-based diagnosis.
For treatment, we have selected bacteriophages which are specialist viruses targeting bacteria as a potential candidate for therapeutics in the treatment of biofilms related to gastrointestinal health. We studied the predator-prey population, and our results show that the isolated phages were not able to break the biofilm matrix. The matrix protects from viral predators leading to potential futuristic research questions on the evolution of phage and bacteria creating phage biofilm coexistence.
Further, our study led to the development of a biofilm-centric diagnostics modality to advance the landscape of clinical diagnostics using the electrochemical and colorimetric approaches for the detection of biofilm-based UTIs because of their high prevalence.
Recommended Citation
R, Kavi Bharathi Ms, "The Role of Biofilm Matrix on the Growth, Survival, and Diagnosis in Enterobacteriaceae" (2025). Theses and Dissertations. 45.
https://knowledgeconnect.sastra.edu/theses/45