Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen that forms robust biofilms in the different niches it occupies. Numerous physiological adaptations are required as this organism shifts from soil or aquatic environments to a host-associated lifestyle. While many conditions differ between these niches, temperature shifts are a factor that can contribute to physiological stress during this transition. To understand how temperature impacts biofilm formation in this pathogen, we used proteomic and transcriptomic tools to elucidate physiological responses in environment-relevant vs. host-relevant temperatures. These studies uncovered differential expression of various proteins including a phage protein that is associated with the EPS matrix in P. aeruginosa. This filamentous phage was induced at host temperatures and was required for full biofilm-forming capacity specifically at human body temperature. These data highlight the importance of temperature shift in biofilm formation and suggest bacteriophage proteins could be a possible therapeutic target in biofilm-associated infections.

铜绿假单胞菌是一种普遍存在的机会性病原体，可在其占据的不同生态位中形成坚固的生物膜。当这种生物体从土壤或水生环境转变为与宿主相关的生活方式时，需要进行许多生理适应。虽然这些生态位之间的许多条件有所不同，但温度变化是导致这一转变期间生理应激的一个因素。为了了解温度如何影响这种病原体的生物膜形成，我们使用蛋白质组学和转录组学工具来阐明环境相关温度与宿主相关温度下的生理反应。这些研究揭示了各种蛋白质的差异表达，包括与铜绿假单胞菌中 EPS 基质相关的噬菌体蛋白质。这种丝状噬菌体在宿主温度下被诱导，并且是完全生物膜形成能力所必需的，特别是在人体温度下。这些数据强调了温度变化在生物膜形成中的重要性，并表明噬菌体蛋白可能是生物膜相关感染的可能治疗靶点。