How Do Polymer Coatings Affect the Growth and Bacterial Population of a Biofilm Formed by Total Human Salivary Bacteria?—A Study by 16S-RNA Sequencing

Abstract

Antimicrobial surface modifications are required to prevent biomaterial-associated biofilm infections, which are also a major concern for oral implants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of three different coatings on the biofilm formed by human saliva. Biofilms grown from human saliva on three different bioactive poly(oxanorbornene)-based polymer coatings (the protein-repellent PSB: poly(oxanorbornene)-based poly(sulfobetaine), the protein-repellent and antimicrobial PZI: poly(carboxyzwitterion), and the mildly antimicrobial and protein-adhesive SMAMP: synthetic mimics of antimicrobial peptides) were analyzed and compared with the microbial composition of saliva, biofilms grown on uncoated substrates, and biofilms grown in the presence of chlorhexidine digluconate. It was found that the polymer coatings significantly reduced the amount of adherent bacteria and strongly altered the microbial composition, as analyzed by 16S RNA sequencing. This may hold relevance for maintaining oral health and the outcome of oral implants due to the existing synergism between the host and the oral microbiome. Especially the reduction of some bacterial species that are associated with poor oral health such as Tannerella forsythia and Fusobacterium nucleatum (observed for PSB and SMAMP), and Prevotella denticola (observed for all coatings) may positively modulate the oral biofilm, including in situ.

Zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate)-based hydrogel coating for drinking water distribution systems to inhibit adhesion of waterborne bacteria

“…In DWDS circumstances, combination of high velocity flushing, commonly used as a pipe cleaning practice ( Liu et al, 2017b ), and a hydrogel coating could improve the effectiveness of biofilm removal from biofilm-prone materials. Moreover, it has been recently reported, that the presence of different polymer coatings can affect biofilm bacterial composition when exposed to mixed bacterial populations ( Al-Ahmad et al, 2021 ).…”

Earth to Mars: A Protocol for Characterizing Permafrost in the Context of Climate Change as an Analog for Extraplanetary Exploration

“…These taxa demonstrate substantial flexibility enabling them to adapt to and persist in diverse conditions, including permafrost. One survival strategy may be their well-described ability to form biofilms, which protect against environmental stressors and increase nutrient availability (Spring et al, 2003 ; Adley et al, 2005 ; Liu et al, 2012 ; Nurjadi et al, 2020 ; Al-ahmad et al, 2021 ; Narenkumar et al, 2021 ). Another is their metabolic diversity.…”