Genetic Determinants Associated With the Biofilm Formation Impairment in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Clinical Isolates

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a model organism for biofilm formation research, as it forms biofilms under diverse environmental conditions. At the same time, numerous studies have reported impaired‐biofilm formation in clinical isolates; however, the genetic basis of these impairments remains unexplored. In this study, we assessed the ability of P. aeruginosa clinical isolates from a laboratory collection to form biofilms. Among these isolates, three demonstrated biofilm formation impairment. A comparative genomic analysis revealed genetic determinants associated with biofilm formation impairment, including mutations in the pelA and fleQ genes, and psl operon deletion. Interestingly, the identified loss‐of‐function mutations in regulatory genes involved in biofilm formation did not appear to affect the ability to form biofilms.