Transformation efficiency was calculated as number of transformants

μL-1 of plasmid DNA (Patwardhan et al., 2008). An API assay identified 44 isolates obtained from urine samples as A. baumannii and three as Acinetobacter lwoffii, while urinary catheter samples yielded three A. baumannii isolates. CSH indices for all the 50 isolates of Acinetobacter obtained from UTI and urinary catheters were determined BMS-777607 and they varied from 34% to 79.4%. Nine strains had an HI value between 30% and 40%; six isolates displayed HI values between 41% and 50%; for seven isolates the HI values were between 51% and 60%. For the majority of the strains (22), the HI values varied between 61% and 70%. The six strains of A. baumannii (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6) that showed the highest hydrophobicity indices are listed in Table 1. Six isolates with the lowest HI values (A45–A50) were also selected. Escherichia coli HB101 and P. aeruginosa PA01 were used as the negative and positive control cultures, respectively. The difference between see more the six strains with the highest HI values and six with the lowest HI values was found to be significantly different with P<0.05. Twenty isolates displayed lectin activity while the remaining 30 did not. A1–A6 produced lectins and A45–A50 did not. Figure 1a shows the HI values of the six strains that produced lectins and displayed the highest HI values (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and

A6). These values were compared with those strains that had the lowest HI indices and did not produce lectins (designated as A45, A46, A47, A48, A49 and A50). Standard lectin (phytohemagglutinin) displayed hemagglutination, while normal saline and uninoculated

LB used as negative controls did not show any reaction. The biofilm formation abilities of all the 50 isolates were determined. Quantitative analysis of biofilms formed by A. baumannii on glass and polypropylene surfaces showed that shaking conditions were suitable for biofilm formation. The biofilm formation Reverse transcriptase by strains of Acinetobacter with high hydrophobicity (A1–A6) was higher and significant difference was observed compared to strains to low hydrophobicity (A45–A50) with less biofilm-forming ability with P<0.001 (Fig. 1b). Adhesion of A. baumannii on polypropylene was higher than on glass surfaces (Fig. 2). Figure 1 depicts biofilm formation by a representative A. baumannii isolate (A3). The biofilm formation by P. aeruginosa PAO1 was found to be similar to that of A. baumannii, while E. coli was ineffective in forming biofilms on these surfaces (results not shown). Biofilms of six A. baumannii isolates were formed optimally at 30 °C, at pH 7.0 and when supplemented with 5.0 g L−1 NaCl. The results of A. baumannii A3 were shown as a representative isolate. Light microscopic examination of biofilm-forming A. baumannii cells attached to the polycarbonate and glass surfaces were performed and quantified with crystal violet.