Role of sortase-assembled Ebp pili in <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> adhesion to iron oxides and its impact on extracellular electron transfer
In this study, we explored the interplay between extracellular electron transfer (EET) and an <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i> biofilm factor, the endocarditis and biofilm-associated pili (Ebp). We demonstrate that Ebp pili have a novel role in adhesion to iron oxides, which consequently promotes EET to iron oxides under non-static conditions. Along with our findings that <i>E. faecalis</i> EET can be coupled to anaerobic cell growth, our results point to a potential ecological role of Ebp pili in natural environments, outside of its established function in adhesion to host ligands. We provide the first evidence of the contribution of EET to <i>E. faecalis</i> colonization of the antibiotic-treated murine intestinal niche, which adds to the limited experimental evidence linking EET and microbial pathogenesis, as well as highlights the need for further studies of EET in bacterial pathogens.
Authors
- Caroline M. Ajo‐Franklin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8909-6712)
- Jason J. Paxman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1418-5910)
- Foo Kiong Ho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0928-4786)
- Pui Man Low (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5283-9524)
- Zhi Sheng Chua
- Begoña Heras (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3469-7988)
- Kelvin Kian Long Chong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4473-6453)
- Ling Ning Lam
- Enrico Marsili (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3150-1564)
- Kimberly A. Kline (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5472-3074)
- Joe G. Tolar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8043-4359)
- Artur Matysik (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3702-9491)
- Pei Yi Choo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7008-5340)
- Thomas D. Watts (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3657-8790)
- Jun Jie Wong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9455-1051)
Institutions
- University of Geneva (CH)
- Nanyang Technological University (SG)
- La Trobe University (AU)
- University of Florida (US)
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SG)
- Rice University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Microbiology Spectrum
- Published
- 2025-02-04
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.02337-24
- Citations
- 6
- Primary Topic
- Infective Endocarditis Diagnosis and Management
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 8.13
Funders
- National Research Foundation
- Department of Health and Aged Care, Australian Government
- Ministry of Education, India
- Medical Research Council
- National Health and Medical Research Council
- National Medical Research Council