Exploring the spatial distribution of biomolecules in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms formed on PDMS and lung explants by mass spectrometry imaging

Description

Marie Droniou and co-authors (2026) map the chemistry of biofilms grown by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium notorious for chronic lung infections. Biofilms are dense communities that shield bacteria from antibiotics and immune attack, so knowing which molecules sit where inside them could point to new treatments. The team grows the films on two surfaces: PDMS, a rubber-like material used to mimic medical devices, and mouse lung tissue, which offers a more lifelike setting.

Using mass spectrometry imaging, a method that records chemical signatures spot by spot to build a molecular map, they compare the films on both surfaces. The images reveal how small molecules and other compounds are distributed across each biofilm, showing how much the surface itself shapes the community's makeup. The work gives a spatial view of the chemistry that helps this pathogen persist in lungs and on devices.

Catalog record

Source: https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13602144