Abstract Summary
Biofilm formation (BF), the aggregation of bacteria encased in an extracellular matrix, is an emerging scientific and health concern in many environments including hospitals, infrastructures, and industrial production sites. Pathogenic Neisseria species, N. meningitidis and N. gonorrhoeae, form biofilms. However, it is unknown whether commensal Neisseria species, that commonly colonize the oral and nasopharynx of humans, form biofilms, and whether such structures increase antibiotic resistance in these species. We seek to characterize BF by commensal Neisseria, N. mucosa. We will measure and compare BF using a static and a dynamic method. We adapted a dynamic model by optimizing the starting optical density (OD) for N. mucosa and developing an artifact with paper clips and plastic beads. Using the static BF protocol for N. gonorrhoeae on 96 well plates, we will measure BF by N. mucosa and resistance to relevant antibiotics which we will compare to observations in N. gonorrhoeae. This study will be the first to demonstrate the development of BF by commensal Neisseria. Future directions include transitioning the dynamic model from plastic beads to coverslips to visualize the organizational structure and robustness of BF and compare this BF to BF by pathogenic Neisseria.
