YajC, a predicted membrane protein, promotes Enterococcus faecium biofilm Formation in vitro and in a rat endocarditis model

Samenvatting

Biofilm formation is a critical step in the pathogenesis of difficult-to-treat Gram-positive bacterial infections. We identified that YajC, a conserved membrane protein in bacteria, plays a role in biofilm formation of the clinically relevant Enterococcus faecium strain E1162. Deletion of yajC conferred significantly impaired biofilm formation in vitro and was attenuated in a rat endocarditis model. Mass-spectrometry analysis of supernatants of washed ΔyajC cells revealed increased amounts in cytoplasmic and cell-surface located proteins, including biofilm-associated proteins, suggesting that proteins on the surface of the yajC mutant are only loosely attached.