# The S. aureus biofilm lifecycle

> **NIH NIH P01** · UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER · 2021 · $404,345

## Abstract

The remarkable ability of Staphylococcus aureus to cause acute infections can be largely
attributed to the wide array of virulence factors it produces, combined with its ability to exploit
various metabolic niches within a host. In contrast, its ability to cause more persistent infections
is a function of its propensity to form biofilm, a process that is enhanced by the implantation of
medical devices. The current funding cycle has revealed remarkable developmental processes
that occur during biofilm formation, including multiple developmental stages, stochastic gene
expression, and the formation of distinct structures. Based on these preliminary results, it is
hypothesized that the distinct developmental stages of S. aureus biofilm development are
required for optimal fitness during infection. This hypothesis will be tested in three specific
aims including to 1) define the steps involved in the transition from a planktonic to sessile lifestyle,
2) provide mechanistic insight into the bistable switch, and 3) demonstrate the in vivo role of
bistability. Combined, these aims will provide critical insight into the developmental steps involved
in S. aureus biofilm formation and define the relevance of these processes in vivo. A common
theme of this project will be the highly synergistic nature of the experiments in the context of the
other projects of this program, particularly the experiments probing the regulation of virulence
gene expression (Project 3) and the in vivo relevance of this regulation (Project 4). Once
completed, the results of these experiments will greatly enhance our understanding of S. aureus
biofilm development and provide insight into the characteristics of these complex structures that
make them so recalcitrant to clinical intervention.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10198697
- **Project number:** 5P01AI083211-13
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** KENNETH W. BAYLES
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $404,345
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2009-07-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10198697

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10198697, The S. aureus biofilm lifecycle (5P01AI083211-13). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10198697. Licensed CC0.

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