Sa. Makin et Tj. Beveridge, THE INFLUENCE OF A-BAND AND B-BAND LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE ON THE SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS AND ADHESION OF PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA TO SURFACES, Microbiology, 142, 1996, pp. 299-307
Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 possesses two distinct lipopolysaccharide
(LPS) O-polysaccharide species, A- and B-band LPS, the relative expres
sion of which appears to be under environmental control. In an attempt
to identify the influence these LPS types have on surface characteris
tics and adhesion, we examined the surface hydrophobicity and surface
charge of P. aeruginosa PAO1 (O5 serotype) and its isogenic LPS deriva
tives which possessed A(+)B(-), A(-)B(+) and A(-)B(-) LPS. The surface
characteristics of the strains affected their ability to adhere to hy
drophilic (glass) and hydrophobic (polystyrene) surfaces. Cells posses
sing only A-band LPS demonstrated the highest surface hydrophobicity,
followed by the strain lacking both A- and B-band LPS. the presence of
B-band LPS resulted in a more hydrophilic surface. Strains lacking B-
band LPS (A(+)B- and A(-)B(-)) had more electronegative surfaces than
those possessing B-band LPS (A(+)B(+) and A(-)B(+)), with cells lackin
g both A- and B-band LPS showing the highest surface electronegativity
. These data suggest that the main surface-charge-determining groups r
eside in the core region of the LPS molecule. Cells with the lowest su
rface hydrophobicity and lowest surface charge (A(+)B(+), A(-)B(+)) ad
hered to glass the most efficiently, implying a role for electrostatic
interaction, whereas adhesion to polystyrene mirrored the relative hy
drophobicities of the strains (A(+)B(-) > A(-)B(-) > A(+)B(+) > A(-)B(
+)). It is postulated that phenotypic variation in the relative expres
sion of A- and B-band LPS may be a mechanism by which P. aeruginosa ca
n alter its overall surface characteristics in such a way as to influe
nce adhesion and favour survival.