Abstract
Outer membrane porin F (OprF) is a major structural membrane protein of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a recognised human opportunistic pathogen which is correlated with severe hospital-acquired infections. This study investigating a multiphenotypic approach, based on the comparative study of a wild type strain of P. aeruginosa, its isogenic OprF mutant. Both P. aeruginosa PAO1 and OprF mutant strains were grown in same condition and cultures were subjected to further analysis by SDS PAGE, pyocyanin production and biofilm formation that was analyse using scanning electron microscopy. Based on biofilm formation essay and pyocyanin production, the study showed that OprF plays a dynamic role in P. aeruginosa virulence. The absence of OprF results in slow growth rate corresponded to elongated lag phase and reduced biofilm production also a significance reduction in the production of the quorum-sensing-dependent virulence factors pyocyanin. Accordingly, in the OprF mutant scanning electron microscope "SEM" images showed impaired cellular niche and detached cells when compared to regular attached P. aeruginosa wild type cells in the niche. Taken together, this study shows the contribution of OprF in P. aeruginosa virulence, at least partly through impairment of biofilm, cell to cell attachment in niche and pyocyanin production. This study show a vital link between OprF and virulence factor production, providing novel insights for its role in pathogenicity and future could provide the basis for the development of novel drug targets for antibiotics and vaccines.