A Simple Procedure for Quantitatively Measuring Pseudomonas aeruginosa Slime Production

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen most associated with infection of the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. It produces extracellular polysaccharides collectively referred to as slime that includes one specific virulence factor known as alginate. Current methods to measure the actual production of this slime require either expensive equipment, or they are not quantitatively accurate. This study reports a method that is simple and yields statistically reproducible results thereby enabling researchers to easily follow the rate of slime production in the bacteria. Ongoing studies will use this method to study the effect of growth media containing different components upon the production of slime. These studies may have in vivo relevance to the production of this virulence factor in the lungs of CF patients and in other infectious settings.