Staphylococci Help Cutibacterium Species Grow in Oxygen
Author Information
Author(s): Kaplan Jeffrey B., Assa Michael, Mruwat Noor, Sailer Miloslav, Regmi Suresh, Kridin Khalaf
Primary Institution: Laboratory for Skin Research, Institute for Medical Research, Galilee Medical Center
Hypothesis
Can facultatively anaerobic Staphylococcus spp. enable anaerobic Cutibacterium spp. to grow and form biofilms under aerobic conditions?
Conclusion
Staphylococci facilitate the colonization of Cutibacterium spp. in oxygen-rich environments, allowing them to form biofilms even when they typically cannot grow in such conditions.
Supporting Evidence
- Staphylococci formed biofilms under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
- Cutibacterium spp. only formed biofilms under anaerobic conditions when cultured alone.
- In co-culture, Cutibacterium biofilm formation was significantly enhanced by the presence of staphylococci.
- Fluorescence microscopy showed staphylococci create anaerobic niches for Cutibacterium growth.
- Multiple staphylococcal species promoted aerobic biofilm formation by Cutibacterium spp.
Takeaway
Some bacteria that usually need no oxygen can grow when they are with other bacteria that can live with oxygen. This helps them stick together and form a protective layer.
Methodology
The study measured biofilm formation of Staphylococcus and Cutibacterium species in vitro under aerobic and anaerobic conditions using various culture methods.
Limitations
The study primarily focused on specific strains and conditions, which may not represent all interactions in the skin microbiome.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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