ArticleJournal of bacteriology2013
Multiple factors modulate biofilm formation by the anaerobic pathogen Clostridium difficile.
Article in Journal of bacteriology, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 168 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
168 citing papers in PubMed, 286 citations in OpenAlex.
- The prevalence and molecular epidemiology ofEmerging microbes & infections · 2026Observational
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- A longitudinal analysis of Clostridioides difficile virulence profiles across three geographic regions in Israel (2020-2022).Annals of clinical microbiology and antimicrobials · 2026Article
- Sub-inhibitory concentrations of metronidazole alter the proteomic profile and biological effects of extracellular vesicles from Clostridioides difficile.BMC microbiology · 2026Article
- Biofilm- and Spore-Disruptive Star-Shaped Poly(l-lysine)/Hyaluronic Acid Microgels for Targeted Oral Therapy ofBiomacromolecules · 2026Article
- Acidification-dependent suppression ofbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Vancomycin tolerance and dispersion of dual species biofilms ofbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Clostridioides difficile pathogenesis and control.Nature reviews. Microbiology · 2026Review
- In Vitro Measurement of Clostridioides difficile Biofilm Formation Induced by Gut and Microbiota-Derived Signals.Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) · 2026Article
- Dissecting the role of flagellar subunits inJournal of bacteriology · 2025Article
- Article
- High lytic activity of endolysin LysDCp1 from phage DCp1 against Clostridium perfringens and biofilms.Veterinary research communications · 2025Article
- Combination of mitomycin C and low-dose metronidazole synergistically againstAntimicrobial agents and chemotherapy · 2025Article
- Extracellular DNA filaments associated with surface polysaccharide II give Clostridioides difficile biofilm matrix a network-like structure.NPJ biofilms and microbiomes · 2025Article
- Community-AcquiredInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Calcium modulates growth and biofilm formation of Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4356 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC 14917.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Mapping the ultrastructural topology of the corynebacterial cell surface.PLoS biology · 2025Article
- Allele-linked divergence in SlpA and TcdB drives distinct immune and cytotoxic responses that distinguish ST01 from non-ST01 strains in Clade 2 Clostridioides difficile.Access microbiology · 2025Article
- PPAR-γ agonist mitigates intestinal barrier dysfunction and inflammation induced by Clostridioides difficile SlpA in vitro.Scientific reports · 2024Article
108 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
11 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
Bacteria within biofilms are protected from multiple stresses, including immune responses and antimicrobial agents. The biofilm-forming ability of bacterial pathogens has been associated with increased antibiotic resistance and chronic recurrent infections. Although biofilms have been well studied for several gut pathogens, little is known about biofilm formation by anaerobic gut species. The obligate anaerobe Clostridium difficile causes C. difficile infection (CDI), a major health care-associated problem primarily due to the high incidence of recurring infections. C. difficile colonizes the gut when the normal intestinal microflora is disrupted by antimicrobial agents; however, the factors or processes involved in gut colonization during infection remain unclear. We demonstrate that clinical C. difficile strains, i.e., strain 630 and the hypervirulent strain R20291, form structured biofilms in vitro, with R20291 accumulating substantially more biofilm. Microscopic and biochemical analyses show multiple layers of bacteria encased in a biofilm matrix containing proteins, DNA, and polysaccharide. Employing isogenic mutants, we show that virulence-associated proteins, Cwp84, flagella, and a putative quorum-sensing regulator, LuxS, are all required for maximal biofilm formation by C. difficile. Interestingly, a mutant in Spo0A, a transcription factor that controls spore formation, was defective for biofilm formation, indicating a possible link between sporulation and biofilm formation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that bacteria in clostridial biofilms are more resistant to high concentrations of vancomycin, a drug commonly used for treatment of CDI. Our data suggest that biofilm formation by C. difficile is a complex multifactorial process and may be a crucial mechanism for clostridial persistence in the host.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.