layered structure and complex mechanochemistry underlie strength and versatility in a bacterial adhesive

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ID: 175840
2018
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Abstract
While designing synthetic adhesives that perform in aqueous environments has proven challenging, microorganisms commonly produce bioadhesives that efficiently attach to a variety of substrates, including wet surfaces. The aquatic bacterium Caulobacter crescentus uses a discrete polysaccharide complex, the holdfast, to strongly attach to surfaces and resist flow. The holdfast is extremely versatile and has impressive adhesive strength. Here, we used atomic force microscopy in conjunction with superresolution microscopy and enzymatic assays to unravel the complex structure of the holdfast and to characterize its chemical constituents and their role in adhesion. Our data support a model whereby the holdfast is a heterogeneous material organized as two layers: a stiffer nanoscopic core layer wrapped into a sparse, far-reaching, flexible brush layer. Moreover, we found that the elastic response of the holdfast evolves after surface contact from initially heterogeneous to more homogeneous. From a composition point of view, besides N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (NAG), the only component that had been identified to date, our data show that the holdfast contains peptides and DNA. We hypothesize that, while polypeptides are the most important components for adhesive force, the presence of DNA mainly impacts the brush layer and the strength of initial adhesion, with NAG playing a primarily structural role within the core. The unanticipated complexity of both the structure and composition of the holdfast likely underlies its versatility as a wet adhesive and its distinctive strength. Continued improvements in understanding of the mechanochemistry of this bioadhesive could provide new insights into how bacteria attach to surfaces and could inform the development of new adhesives.
Reference Key
hernando-perez2018mbiolayered Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors ;Mercedes Hernando-Pérez;Sima Setayeshgar;Yifeng Hou;Roger Temam;Yves V. Brun;Bogdan Dragnea;Céécile Berne;Matthew R. Chapman
Journal synlett
Year 2018
DOI
10.1128/mBio.02359-17
URL
http://mbio.asm.org/cgi/content/full/9/1/e02359-17
Keywords
Microbiology

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