Physicochemical surface characteristics in different pathogenic bacteria

Abstract Understanding physicochemical surface characteristics of microorganisms is vital in order to reduce or prevent bacterial adhesion as an important stage of pathogenicity. These characteristics are influenced by such factors as temperature, pH, or media determining the extent of bacterial adhesion. The present study adopted a simple technique, i.e. MATS (microbial adhesion to solvents) method, to better understand microbial cell surface characteristics in four different strains, namely Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria Monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. For this aim, the effect of different concentrations of human blood serum in the media of these microorganisms on physicochemical characteristics of the microorganism was evaluated. The results revealed that the microorganisms possessed different characteristics at different doses of human blood serum. Some doses of human blood serum had no effect on hydrophobicity and electron donation and reception in the microorganisms whereas some doses could cause changes in these characteristics. These findings show that care should be taken when using different concentrations of antibiotics or other compounds such as rhamnolipids.