Tools for studying growth patterns and chemical dynamics of aggregated Pseudomonas aeruginosa exposed to different electron acceptors in an alginate bead model

Chronic infection: effects of electron acceptors Bacterial growth is strongly affected by levels and gradients of electron accepting chemicals such as nitrate ions and oxygen molecules. Thomas Bjarnsholt, Michael Kühl, and colleagues at the University of Copenhagen grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria in beads composed of a natural carbohydrate called alginate. This method models the growth patterns in chronic infections more effectively than conventional procedures. The model reflects the fact that chronic infections typically involve dense aggregates of cells embedded in materials such as wound debris or mucus. This renders the bacteria resistant to antibiotics and immune defences. The researchers investigated the effect of varying concentration gradients and flow patterns of several electron acceptors. Bacterial growth was strongly influenced by the distribution of the electron acceptors. Adding electron acceptors to treatment regimes may enhance the activity of antibiotics against chronic infections