Talk abstracts
Talk on Tuesday 02:45-03:45pm submitted by Andrew Herr
Biophysics of biofilms: from thermodynamics toward therapeutics
Andrew B. Herr (Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center)
Abstract:
Staphylococcus epidermidis is a gram-positive bacterial species that is nearly ubiquitous on healthy skin. It is a beneficial commensal that helps maintain homeostasis of the skin and prevents colonization by pathogens. However, it is also the leading cause of device-related infections due to its propensity to form highly adhesive biofilms on surgically implanted devices. Remarkably, both corneocyte adhesion and biofilm formation by S. epidermidis are mediated by the same surface protein, Aap. We have used structural and biophysical techniques to understand how this massive, multifunctional protein carries out its biological functions. I will describe how the N-terminal lectin domain recognizes a corneocyte ligand for host colonization, how the central B-repeat superdomain mediates staphylococcal intercellular adhesion, and how the intrinsically disordered C-terminal stalk forms a highly extended conformation that resists compaction. Finally, I will discuss the role of staphylococcal biofilm formation on the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis and the development of an antibacterial platform based on our early thermodynamic analyses of Aap self-assembly.
Keywords: Biofilm, self-assembly, crystal structure, IDP