RNA is a key component of extracellular DNA networks in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms

Extracellular RNA (eRNA) has been shown to play a key role in the formation of extracellular DNA (eDNA) fibers within the biofilm matrix by forming extracellular RNA:DNA hybrids. This complex contributes significantly to the viscoelastic structure of Pseudomonas biofilms. Alkalinization-induced biofilm dissolution revealed that this process coincided with the hydrolysis of eRNA, but not eDNA, further highlighting eRNA’s role in biofilm formation.

The biofilm matrix was found to be enriched with specific mRNA transcripts, such as lasB (which encodes elastase), compared to planktonic and biofilm cells. Additionally, lasB mRNA was detected in eDNA fibers in clinical sputum samples positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

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¹Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. ²School of Medicine, University of California, USA. ³St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory c/o Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore. ⁴Environmental Health Institute, National Environmental Agency, Singapore. ⁵Institute for Digital Molecular Analytics and Science, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. ⁶Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. ⁷Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore. ⁸Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore. ⁹The iThree Institute, University of Technology Sydney, Australia. ¹⁰CSIRO, Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australia. ¹¹School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. ¹²Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. ¹³School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. ¹⁴School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia. ¹⁵Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. ¹⁶Centre for Water Technology, Aarhus University, Denmark.