Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Detects Long-Lifetime Signal Associated with Reduced Pyocyanin at the Surface of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms and in Cross-Feeding Conditions

• DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00489
• Publication Date: 2025-03-04T09:40:47Z
• Authors: Tara Gallagher; Simon Leemans; Alexander S. Dvor...; Kumar Perinbam; Joshua Fong; Christina Kim; Joseph Kapcia; Miki Kagawa; Adam Grosvirt-Dramen; Allon I. Hochbaum; Michelle A. Digman; Enrico Gratton; Albert Siryaporn; Katrine Whiteson
• Keywords: Pyocyanin; SIGNAL (programming language)

Understanding bacterial physiology in real-world environments requires noninvasive approaches and is a challenging yet necessary endeavor to effectively treat infectious disease. Bacteria evolve strategies tolerate chemical gradients associated with infections. The DIVER (Deep Imaging Via Enhanced Recovery) microscope can image autofluorescence fluorescence lifetime throughout samples high optical scattering, enabling the study of naturally formed intact biofilms. Using DIVER, long fluorescent signal reduced pyocyanin, molecule for electron cycling low oxygen, was detected low-oxygen conditions at surface Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms presence fermentation metabolites from Rothia mucilaginosa, which cocolonizes infected airways P. aeruginosa. These findings underscore utility studies within complex environments, could inform on more effective managing chronic infection.