Safety in numbers: Bacterial aggregation and adaptation to oxidative stress (2006-2008)

Aggregation and biofilm formation in response to host-derived oxidative stress and antimicrobial action are critical aspects of bacterial pathogenesis. Molecular mechanisms that promote the survival of bacteria against host defences are therefore likely targets for strain attenuation and potential vaccine strain construction. The aim of this proposal is to understand the molecular basis of aggregation in Escherichia coli K-12 and pathogenic strains of this bacterium. Agents that prevent bacterial cell-cell aggregation may provide the basis for the design of novel treatment approaches such as the use of drugs which break up cell aggregates in synergy with current antibiotics to improve their efficacy