Fig 1.
Major mechanisms of biofilm expressed by S. aureus.
(A) Polysaccharide-type biofilm is dependent of expression of PIA/PNAG by intracellular adhesion operon (icaADBC)-carrying strains and is common in methicillin-sensitive S. aureus isolates. (B) Surface proteins such as BAP, the FnBPs, and SasG/Aap mediate direct cell-to-cell contact during biofilm accumulation. Cytoplasmic proteins and eDNA released following cell lysis can also act as components of the biofilm matrix. (C) Coagulase-mediated conversion of fibrinogen (Fg) into fibrin, which is recruited into a biofilm scaffold that can be dispersed by plasmin produced following staphylokinase-mediated activation of plasminogen. (D) Phenol-soluble modules have surfactant qualities that can promote biofilm dispersal but can also accumulate as amyloid aggregates that promote biofilm accumulation.