Influence of the gene potD and potF for biofilm formation in Klebsiella pneumoniae

• Grant number: 21/01211-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: June 01, 2021
• End date: February 28, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Thiago Rojas Converso
• Grantee: Maria Eduarda Souza Guerra
• Host Institution: Universidade São Francisco (USF). Campus Bragança Paulista. Bragança Paulista , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important pathogen involved is several nosocomial and community acquired infections, it is particularly aggressive to newborns, elderly and immunocompromised individuals. This bacterium can colonize the oropharynx, and the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tract, and in some circumstances can invade sterile niches causing pneumonia, bacteremia, meningitis, and liver abscess. The bacteria can form biofilm through an interspecies communication mechanism called quorum sensing, once in biofilm form it is able to increase is dissemination, and resistance against antimicrobial agents, this communication is guided by the production of auto-inductor molecules called AI-2. Some studies have been described the importance of polyamines (molecules important to the grown and fitness of all cells) and its transporters on the biofilm formation in several bacterial species. Knowing all of these, in this work we propose to create a Klebsiella pneumoniae strain that lacks the potD and potF genes, using the gene editing tool CRISPR/Cas9, which will be stablished in our lab. And we will use this mutant to evaluate its ability to form biofilm in biotic and abiotic surfaces, comparing wild type and mutant. We will also use the mutant and wild type strain to evaluate the role of the polyamine transporters on the quorum sensing communication. (AU)