BiofilmPub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-02-11DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100355
Yanina Nahum , Neila Gross , Johnathan Muhvich , Muhammad H. Zaman
{"title":"Microplastics as active modulators of Escherichia coli biofilm characteristics and their implications on the development of antimicrobial resistance","authors":"Yanina Nahum , Neila Gross , Johnathan Muhvich , Muhammad H. Zaman","doi":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100355","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100355","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microplastics are increasingly recognized as substrates that facilitate microbial colonization and may contribute to antimicrobial resistance, yet their role in shaping biofilm physiology remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the antibiotic susceptibility, structural features, mechanical properties, and composition of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of <em>Escherichia coli</em> (<em>E. coli</em>) biofilms grown under flow and under identical conditions with three different materials: control (C), glass microbeads (G), and microplastic 10-μm beads (MP). We performed 24h antibiotic susceptibility tests using ciprofloxacin and found significantly enhanced tolerance in MP-biofilms, with approximately 60% of cells remaining viable after exposure to 350 μg/mL, compared to 24% in G-biofilms and minimal survival in controls at lower concentrations of ciprofloxacin (P < 0.0001). Reducing microplastic concentrations ten-fold did not enhance susceptibility, whereas lighter, hollow glass beads generated significantly more susceptible biofilms. MP-biofilms were shown to be nearly seven times thicker than control biofilms and exhibited localized zones of high cell density surrounding the microbeads. We further observed lower creep compliance in MP- and G-biofilms relative to controls, indicating increased stiffness. Finally, we analyzed EPS matrix composition and found that only MP-biofilms displayed substantial enrichment across all EPS components, especially proteins (>2.5-fold increase, P < 0.0001). Together, these results indicate that microplastics can not only serve as favorable surfaces for bacterial attachment and colonization but also actively promote biofilm architectures and biochemical features that confer elevated antibiotic tolerance. Our findings highlight microplastics as contributors to drug-tolerant biofilm microbial communities and reinforce their role as emerging environmental drivers of antimicrobial resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55844,"journal":{"name":"Biofilm","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100355"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173559","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Identification of biofilm-associated genes in Arcobacter butzleri","authors":"Adrián Salazar-Sánchez , Jean-Marc Ghigo , Ilargi Martínez-Ballesteros , Irati Martinez-Malaxetxebarria","doi":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100344","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100344","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Arcobacter butzleri</em> is an emerging zoonotic and foodborne pathogen isolated from human diarrhoeal samples and environmental sources. Despite its increasing clinical relevance, functional studies in this species have been limited by the lack of effective genetic tools. In this study, we report the first successful application of random transposon mutagenesis using the EZ-Tn5 transposome system in three <em>A. butzleri</em> strains. Transformation efficiency was found to be strain-dependent, with only one strain (P8) yielding enough mutants for phenotypic screening. A total of 56 mutants were characterised with 29 different disrupted genes, all exhibiting significantly reduced biofilm formation, and ten strains showing reduced or abolished motility. Furthermore, the phenotype of some mutants was also associated with lactate metabolism, methionine auxotrophy, cold sensibility and resistance to several antimicrobials. The identification of multiple independent insertions at identical nucleotide positions suggests possible insertional hotspots, although no conserved sequence motifs were identified. Overall, our findings provide novel insights into the gene functions associated with biofilm formation and other phenotypes in <em>A. butzleri</em>. This work not only represents a significant technical advancement for the genetic manipulation of this bacterium species but also establishes a foundation for future functional genomics studies aimed at elucidating the pathogenicity and environmental adaptability of <em>A. butzleri</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55844,"journal":{"name":"Biofilm","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100344"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofilmPub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-02-06DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100352
D.C. Coraça-Huber , C. Spiegel , B.F. Moraes , R. Arora
{"title":"Beyond the germ: Rethinking implant-related infections as a host–microbiota–biomaterial ecosystem","authors":"D.C. Coraça-Huber , C. Spiegel , B.F. Moraes , R. Arora","doi":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100352","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100352","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Implant-related infections remain one of the most challenging complications in modern medicine, often leading to implant failure, revision surgery, significant patient morbidity and high rate of patient mortality. Traditionally framed within the germ theory paradigm, their pathogenesis has been attributed primarily to microbial contamination and biofilm formation. However, growing evidence reveals a far more complex picture in which infection susceptibility emerges from the dynamic interplay between <strong>host biology, microbiota composition, biomaterial properties, and environmental influences</strong><strong>.</strong> Host immune tone, metabolic status, and systemic exposures shape the tissue environment in ways that either resist or facilitate microbial colonization. The microbiota contributes to this balance not only by mediating immune responses and providing colonization resistance but also through metabolites and detoxification mechanisms that influence local and systemic immunity. Biomaterials themselves are active participants in this ecosystem: metal ion release, corrosion, and surface properties modulate both host responses and microbial behavior.</div><div>A particularly intriguing concept is the potential <strong>dual role of biofilms</strong> — not only as pathogenic reservoirs but also as <strong>detoxification systems</strong> that sequester metal ions and buffer oxidative stress at the host–implant interface. Recognizing this duality reframes biofilms as biological structures that may, in part, participate in protective containment, albeit at the cost of sustaining low-grade inflammation and risk of septicemia.</div><div>Looking forward, the integration of <strong>systems biology approaches</strong> promises to transform our understanding and management of implant-associated infections. Multi-omics profiling, predictive modeling, engineered probiotics, dietary modulation, and novel implant surface designs represent emerging strategies that target the entire host–microbe–material interface. By bridging insights from immunology, microbiome science, biomaterials research, and digital technologies, a new paradigm is emerging — one that views infection prevention and treatment not simply as microbial eradication, but as the cultivation of a resilient biological and material ecosystem around the implant.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55844,"journal":{"name":"Biofilm","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100352"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofilmPub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-02-09DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100353
Dibyangshee Singh, Jacobus Brink, Dishon Wayne Hiebner, Eoin Casey
{"title":"Fragmented but functional: Post-dispersion dynamics and phenotypic variation in dispersed biofilm-associated cells","authors":"Dibyangshee Singh, Jacobus Brink, Dishon Wayne Hiebner, Eoin Casey","doi":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100353","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100353","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":55844,"journal":{"name":"Biofilm","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100353"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofilmPub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-02-05DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100350
Simon A. Eerden , Thomas Abeel , Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht , Samarpita Roy
{"title":"Phylogenetic analysis reveals diversity in glycan biosynthesis in “Candidatus Accumulibacter”","authors":"Simon A. Eerden , Thomas Abeel , Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht , Samarpita Roy","doi":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100350","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100350","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although biofilms are widespread in nature, the ecological roles and compositional diversity of the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) forming these structures remain poorly understood. Here, we apply a bottom-up genomic approach by investigating the biosynthetic potential for glycan precursors in the genus “<em>Candidatus</em> Accumulibacter”, with a focus on assessing the intra-genus variability. Within a curated set of 61 “<em>Ca.</em> Accumulibacter” MAGs, our analysis revealed a dichotomy in glycan precursors between a conserved core group of 9 nucleotide-sugars and a variable accessory set of 12 nucleotide-sugars, out of 50 nucleotide-sugars tested. The core nucleotide-sugars in “<em>Ca</em>. Accumulibacter” are related to nucleotide-sugars also found to be widely distributed across the tree of life, whereas the accessory set is enriched in rare nucleotide-sugars. The accessory nucleotide-sugars show an irregular distribution across “<em>Ca.</em> Accumulibacter” phylogeny, and divergent evolutionary histories. This highlights the possibility that distinct evolutionary pressures act on different parts of the EPS-formation metabolism, leading to genotypic diversification driven by complex biological phenomena such as horizontal gene transfer that support the observed divergent evolutionary histories.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55844,"journal":{"name":"Biofilm","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100350"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofilmPub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2025.100341
Emily Rudolph , Shuxian Li , Broncio Aguilar-Sanjuan , Seungwon Ko , Priyanshu S. Raikwar , Carolin M. Kobras , Serena Bettoni , Samuel K. Sheppard , Maisem Laabei
{"title":"Functional and comparative genomic characterization of biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus","authors":"Emily Rudolph , Shuxian Li , Broncio Aguilar-Sanjuan , Seungwon Ko , Priyanshu S. Raikwar , Carolin M. Kobras , Serena Bettoni , Samuel K. Sheppard , Maisem Laabei","doi":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2025.100341","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2025.100341","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biofilms are structured communities of bacterial cells enclosed in a self-produced extracellular matrix. In the pathogen <em>Staphylococcus aureus,</em> this can enhance resistance to antibiotics and immune responses, contributing significantly to chronic infections associated with medical devices. The underlying mechanisms include the production of polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA), encoded by the <em>icaADBC</em> operon, and surface proteins that mediate adhesion. However, it has been challenging to translate <em>in vitro</em> understanding to explain the molecular mechanisms governing biofilm formation <em>in vivo</em>. Here we combined functional and comparative genomics approaches to investigate genetic factors influencing biofilm formation in isolates belonging to the clinically important ST-8 clonal complex (CC8). Phenotypic and genomic screening of a closely related strain cohort (MRSA USA300 isolates) revealed considerable variability in biofilm formation. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified several genes and polymorphisms linked to biofilm development. These included known biofilm genes and compensatory mutations that restored wild-type biofilm levels in hyper-biofilm forming mucoid isolates. Finally, contextualizing CC8 genomes within diverse <em>S. aureus</em> populations revealed the natural occurrence of biofilm-associated genomic variation as well as evidence for the conservation of the <em>ica</em> loci in CC8. This offers insight into the mechanisms and microevolutionary events that give rise to clinically relevant staphylococcal infections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55844,"journal":{"name":"Biofilm","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100341"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145791265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofilmPub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2025.100339
Sandra Galea-Outón , Jérôme Hamelin, Kim Milferstedt
{"title":"Transient cyanobacteria drive hydrostatic photogranulation but disappear during microbial succession","authors":"Sandra Galea-Outón , Jérôme Hamelin, Kim Milferstedt","doi":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2025.100339","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2025.100339","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Photogranulation transforms activated sludge into spatially organized photogranules, yet the role and fate of cyanobacterial strains that trigger this process remain poorly understood. Here, we tested the ability of seven strains of filamentous cyanobacteria to induce photogranule or mat morphotypes in replicated hydrostatic incubations. Despite successful granulation in all replicates when granule-forming strains were added, sequencing revealed that these keystone cyanobacteria responsible for photogranulation were outcompeted during community succession and absent from mature photogranules. A time-series experiment demonstrated that the added granule-forming strain <em>Geitlerinema</em> sp. A4 dominated the cyanobacterial community early on but was gradually replaced by mat-forming taxa, such as <em>Tychonema</em> and <em>Planktothrix</em>. Nevertheless, the granule morphotype persisted even after the founder strain vanished. These findings highlight that transiently dominant organisms can act as microbial engineers, steering ecosystem trajectories without remaining in the final community. This study refines our understanding of microbial succession and has practical implications for selecting the inoculum in biotechnological processes using photogranules.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55844,"journal":{"name":"Biofilm","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100339"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145665719","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofilmPub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-02-10DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100354
Opeyemi Temitope Otemoye , Sadia Nawab , Feifeng Zhong , Junyan Liu , Alessandro Mattedi , Paulo Debiagi , Loh Teng-Hern Tan , Kim R. Hardie , Zhenbo Xu , Enrico Marsili
{"title":"Bioelectrochemical detection of viable but non-culturable bacterial cells on screen-printed carbon electrodes","authors":"Opeyemi Temitope Otemoye , Sadia Nawab , Feifeng Zhong , Junyan Liu , Alessandro Mattedi , Paulo Debiagi , Loh Teng-Hern Tan , Kim R. Hardie , Zhenbo Xu , Enrico Marsili","doi":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100354","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100354","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bacterial cells in a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state are metabolically active, but cannot be cultivated using a routine growth medium, which poses a challenge to identifying VBNC contamination in food and the health sector. Non-growth assays for VBNC identification based on membrane integrity and metabolic monitoring are either costly or lead to ambiguous results. Nucleic acid (DNA and RNA) amplification techniques are effective, but their higher cost and complexity prevent routine applications. Bioelectrochemical assays might be a viable alternative for VBNC detection, due to their low cost and rapid analysis time. However, conventional bioelectrochemical methods, in which electrodes are polarized at constant electrochemical potential, are not suitable for monitoring planktonic non-growing cells like VBNC.</div><div>To circumvent this issue, culturable and VBNC <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> cells were embedded in hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) coating and exposed to alternated cathodic and anodic potentials for a short-time. The resulting current output was interpreted in terms of charge/discharge of the bacterial membrane at the polarized electrode, which is a proxy for bacterial viability. <em>P. aeruginosa</em> cells were induced into the VBNC state by either UV-C or NaOCl. In the presence of 5 mM K<sub>3</sub>[Fe(CN)<sub>6</sub>] and 20 mM glucose, the current output correlates inversely with the VBNC cells concentration. For cells inactivated by heat or 4% paraformaldehyde, the current output was not significantly different from the blank electrode, indicating the ability of the proposed bioelectrochemical method to detect changes in cellular viability before the loss of culturability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55844,"journal":{"name":"Biofilm","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100354"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173561","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofilmPub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100351
Sajad Mohammadi , Alessia Maranesi , Adrianus C.J.M. de Bruijn , Ismael Castañon , Piotr Gierlich , Chiara Falciani , Alessandro Pini , Heleen M.M. van Beusekom , Aldo Ferrari , Wendy W.J. Unger
{"title":"SET-M33 loaded biosynthesized cellulose as effective protection against S. aureus biofilm formation","authors":"Sajad Mohammadi , Alessia Maranesi , Adrianus C.J.M. de Bruijn , Ismael Castañon , Piotr Gierlich , Chiara Falciani , Alessandro Pini , Heleen M.M. van Beusekom , Aldo Ferrari , Wendy W.J. Unger","doi":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100351","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2026.100351","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> is the most common pathogen responsible for postoperative infections associated with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), primarily due to its biofilm-forming capability on implant substrates<em>.</em> Protective envelopes, which sustain the local elution of antibiotics, significantly reduce the risk of CIED infection and biofilm formation. However, they are not equipped to counteract emerging bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) can effectively erase contaminating bacteria, without eliciting resistance.</div><div>Here, we explored the antimicrobial efficacy of biosynthesized cellulose (BC), a natural biopolymer used in protective envelopes, in combination with two synthetic AMPs: SET-M33D and Mastoparan X (MPX). The BC/AMPs combination inhibited bacterial attachment and subsequent biofilm formation significantly better than native BC or AMP coated titanium substrates, as revealed by full factorial design (FFD) experiments. The outcomes of FFD were used to develop a regression model that estimates the interaction between influential parameters and their impacts on response value. Furthermore, SEM imaging confirmed the superior antibiofilm activity of BC/SET-M33D compared to BC/MPX. We demonstrated that the protective function against <em>S. aureus</em> ATCC29213 may be linked to the downregulation of the biofilm associated gene <em>icaA</em>.</div><div>The results reported demonstrate the feasibility of exploiting BC as AMP carrier for inhibiting biofilm formation in conditions relevant to deployment of CIEDs. While further in vivo evaluation is needed, this approach may offer a promising path to address antimicrobial resistance in the management of post-operative infections associated with CIED implant.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55844,"journal":{"name":"Biofilm","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100351"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BiofilmPub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2025.100343
Yu-Hao Wang , Isabelle D'Amico , Jocelyn Whalen , Steven J. Mullett , Stacy L. Gelhaus , Vaughn S. Cooper , Catherine R. Armbruster , William H. DePas
{"title":"Experimental evolution in the cystic fibrosis chemical environment reveals early TCA cycle flux as a central regulator of Mycobacterium abscessus biofilm formation","authors":"Yu-Hao Wang , Isabelle D'Amico , Jocelyn Whalen , Steven J. Mullett , Stacy L. Gelhaus , Vaughn S. Cooper , Catherine R. Armbruster , William H. DePas","doi":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2025.100343","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2025.100343","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Mycobacterium abscessus</em> (MAB) is an emerging opportunistic pathogen that can cause severe, recalcitrant pulmonary infections in susceptible groups, including people with cystic fibrosis (CF). MAB forms biofilms during human infection and in environmental reservoirs such as household plumbing systems, and biofilm formation renders MAB more drug tolerant. However, our limited understanding of the regulatory systems governing mycobacterial biofilm formation undercuts our ability to disperse MAB biofilms and potentially increase treatment efficacy. Using experimental evolution, we demonstrate that selective pressure from synthetic cystic fibrosis sputum medium (SCFM1) drives the emergence of evolved MAB lineages that more readily aggregate in different environmental conditions. Whole-genome sequencing identified mutations in genes coding for two putative IclR family transcriptional regulators, which we named MraA and MraB, as responsible for the increase in aggregation. Using RNA-seq, we revealed that MraA and MraB share a regulon composed largely of genes involved in the early tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and glutamate metabolism. Targeted metabolomic analysis confirmed that both mutants had increased levels of TCA cycle intermediates citrate/isocitrate and α-ketoglutarate (AKG), suggesting that in WT both MraA and MraB suppress flux through those metabolites. We found we could increase both citrate/isocitrate and AKG pools in WT MAB by supplementing SCFM1 with acetate, thereby increasing biofilm formation without increasing expression of the MraA/B regulon and demonstrating a specific causal relationship between those metabolites and biofilm formation. Finally, we show that acetate-induced, agar-suspended biofilms confer antibiotic tolerance. Altogether, we demonstrate how MAB carbon flux can be redirected by selective pressures in a CF sputum-like chemical environment to increase biofilm formation and drug tolerance. We propose a model in which MraA and MraB control flux of citrate/isocitrate/AKG and thereby feed into a metabolism-based biofilm regulatory system in MAB.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55844,"journal":{"name":"Biofilm","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100343"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}