Fig. 1

Natively purified mucins MUC5AC and MUC2 trigger the disruption of P. aeruginosa biofilms. a PAO1-GFP biofilms (48 h) were exposed to medium with increasing concentrations of mucins. The flow rate of the medium was 0.5 μL/min. At 0.5% (w/v) and above, MUC5AC reduced biofilm mass. Scale bars = 20 μm. b Confocal images of biofilms were analyzed using COMSTAT to quantify biomass after 1 h of exposure to mucins. Dotted lines indicate average values for 48 h biofilms before exposure (t = 0 h). Error bars represent standard error (n ≥ 3). *P ≤ 0.05, unpaired Student’s t test. c Mucin-mediated biofilm erosion is affected by the flow rate. Quantification of 48 h PAO1-GFP biofilm biomass after 1 h of exposure to LB with or without 0.5% mucins at slow flow (0.5 μL/min) or fast flow (10 μL/min). Values are normalized to biofilm biomass before exposure. Error bars represent standard error (n ≥ 3). *P ≤ 0.05, unpaired Student’s t test. A comparison between mucin MUC5AC and MUC2 shows that both mucins disassemble P. aeruginosa biofilms. d Live confocal imaging and e biofilm biomass quantification of 48 h PAO1-GFP biofilms before (t = 0 h) and after (t = 1 h) exposure to medium with or without 0.5% mucins at 0.5 μL/min flow. Scale bars = 20 μm. Error bars represent standard error (n = 3). *P ≤ 0.05, unpaired Student’s t test