# Integration of redox-balancing mechanisms in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms

> **NIH NIH R01** · COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE · 2021 · $399,648

## Abstract

Although a diverse arsenal of antimicrobial drugs has been developed, bacterial and fungal infections remain
prevalent worldwide. The formation of multicellular communities of microbes, called biofilms, is a common
feature of these diseases that contributes to their endurance. Cells in biofilms are held together by an
extracellular matrix and differ from those grown in liquid cultures with respect to their metabolism and
sensitivity to antimicrobial drugs. Our long-term goal is to define the integrated, redox-based regulatory
networks and metabolisms that support survival of bacteria in biofilms, with a focus on the pathogen
Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We hypothesize that the changing redox states of cells in developing biofilms affect
multicellular behavior, virulence, and susceptibility to antibiotics. A standardized colony biofilm morphology
assay facilitates our investigation of mechanisms that underpin biofilm-specific metabolism and feature
formation. We will use basic molecular approaches combined with newly developed and innovative techniques,
including electrochemical and microscopic analysis of biofilms at the micron scale, to address fundamental
questions regarding the use of redox-active substrates for metabolism and the global regulation of biofilm
matrix in response to redox cues: (1) How does P. aeruginosa balance its cellular redox state in the oxygen-
limited regions of biofilms? (2) How does redox control of cellular signaling determine overall community
morphology and cellular arrangement within the biofilm? (3) How does the use of pyruvate and lactate,
important energy sources and metabolic intermediates, contribute to survival in biofilms and metabolism during
host infection? As P. aeruginosa is a major cause of infections in hospitals and in patients with cystic fibrosis,
we are motivated by the potential for these mechanisms to serve as therapeutic targets.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10137175
- **Project number:** 5R01AI103369-09
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE
- **Principal Investigator:** Lars Dietrich
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $399,648
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-05-20 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10137175

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10137175, Integration of redox-balancing mechanisms in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms (5R01AI103369-09). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10137175. Licensed CC0.

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