Abstract 2767 Biophysical Characterization of the Biofilm Regulating Pseudomonas aeruginosa Two-Component System BqsRS

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) is a ubiquitous Gram-negative bacterium that is a major cause of chronic nosocomial infections, especially when Pa forms biofilms. These recalcitrant extracellular networks provide an advantageous protective quality for Pa by significantly increasing its antibiotic resistance and making Pa a major health threat. Previous work has uncovered a two-component signal transduction system known as BqsRS that regulates biofilm formation and decay in Pa through the sensing of Fe2+, an important nutrient during the infectious cycle of Pa.