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Biofilm-associated infections, particularly those caused by Staphylococcus aureus, are a major cause of implant failure. Covalent coupling of broad-spectrum antimicrobials to implants is a promising approach to reduce the risk of infections. In this study, we developed titanium substrates on which the recently discovered antibacterial agent SPI031, a N-alkylated 3, 6-dihalogenocarbazol 1-(sec-butylamino)-3-(3,6-dichloro-9H-carbazol-9-yl)propan-2-ol, was covalently linked (SPI031-Ti). We found that SPI031-Ti substrates prevent biofilm formation of S. aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro, as quantified by plate counting and fluorescence microscopy. To test the effectiveness of SPI031-Ti substrates in vivo, we used an adapted in vivo biomaterial-associated infection model in mice in which SPI031-Ti substrates were implanted subcutaneously and subsequently inoculated with S. aureus. Using this model, we found a significant reduction in biofilm formation (up to 98%) on SPI031-Ti substrates compared to control substrates. Finally, we demonstrated that the functionalization of the titanium surfaces with SPI031 did not influence the adhesion and proliferation of human cells important for osseointegration and bone repair. In conclusion, these data demonstrate the clinical potential of SPI031 to be used as an antibacterial coating for implants, thereby reducing the incidence of implant-associated infections. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:2191-2198, 2016., (© 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Salmonella, an important foodborne pathogen, forms biofilms in many different environments. The composition of these biofilms differs depending on the growth conditions, and their development is highly coordinated in time. To develop efficient treatments, it is therefore essential that biofilm formation and its inhibition be understood in different environments and in a time-dependent manner. Many currently used techniques, such as transcriptomics or proteomics, are still expensive and thus limited in their application. Therefore, a GFP-promoter fusion library with 79 important Salmonella biofilm genes was developed (covering among other things matrix production, fimbriae and flagella synthesis, and c-di-GMP regulation). This library is a fast, inexpensive, and easy-to-use tool, and can therefore be conducted in different experimental setups in a time-dependent manner. In this paper, four possible applications are highlighted to illustrate and validate the use of this reporter fusion library.

A screening of a small-molecule library was conducted, in search of Salmonella biofilm inhibitors active in a broad temperature range, both in prevention and in eradication of biofilms. Moreover, the inhibitors were selected not to influence the planktonic growth of Salmonella to diminish the selective pressure and to prevent or slow down resistance development. Out of the 20,014 compounds screened at 16 and 37 °C, 140 hits were identified. After characterization of the most promising hits at a broader set of temperatures (16, 25, 30 and 37 °C), we identified 7-methoxy-4-[4-(3-phenyl-2-propen-1-yl)-1-piperazinyl]-5H-pyrimido[5,4-b]indole as an interesting preventive anti-biofilm compound. A first structure-activity relationship of this compound was delineated, revealing 8-fluoro-4-[4-(3-phenyl-2-propen-1-yl)-1-piperazinyl]-5H-pyrimido[5,4-b]indole as a promising analogue in the prevention of Salmonella biofilms., (© 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.)