Ironing Out the Biofilm Problem:The Role of Iron in Biofilm Formation

Abstract

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes chronic biofilm-associated infections in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients that cannot be eradicated by antibiotics. Like most other pathogens, P. aeruginosa is under intense competitionwith the host for iron. Recent studies showthat even when there is suffi- cient iron for growth, this element serves as a signal for biofilm development.Here, we summarize our knowledge of the role iron plays in P. aeruginosa biofilm devel- opment.Novel therapeutic approaches that target iron homeostasis as an antibiofilm target are also presented.