Preliminary studies on the role of mazEF in S. epidermidis biofilms dormancy

Abstract

Background: Staphylococcus epidermidis has been recognized as one of the main causes of nosocomial infections, mainly due to its ubiquitous presence on human skin and mucous membranes and capacity to form biofilms on the surface of indwelling medical devices. S. epidermidis biofilm-associated infections are a major concern since biofilms present higher antimicrobial tolerance and ability to evade host immune defenses, often resulting in recurrent and relapsing infections. Importantly, some bacteria within biofilms have been found to enter a dormancy state, presenting less sensitivity to host immune response and antimicrobial therapy. Moreover, it was earlier found that mazE, a gene encoding a protein of the mazEF complex, was only expressed in situations where dormancy was induced. Thus, the aim of the study was to analyze the role of mazEF in S. epidermidis biofilm dormancy.