N-Acetylglucosamine-dependent biofilm formation in Pectobacterium atrosepticum is cryptic and activated by elevated c-di-GMP levels

TY - JOUR

T1 - N-Acetylglucosamine-dependent biofilm formation in Pectobacterium atrosepticum is cryptic and activated by elevated c-di-GMP levels

AU - Perez-Mendoza,Daniel

AU - Coulthurst,Sarah J.

AU - Sanjuan,Juan

AU - Salmond,George P. C.

PY - 2011/12

Y1 - 2011/12

N2 - <p>The phytopathogenic bacterium Pectobacterium atrosepticum (Pba) strain SCRI1043 does not exhibit appreciable biofilm formation under standard laboratory conditions. Here we show that a biofilm-forming phenotype in this strain could be activated from a cryptic state by increasing intracellular levels of c-di-GMP, through overexpression of a constitutively active diguanylate cyclase (PleD*) from Caulobacter crescentus. Randomly obtained Pba transposon mutants defective in the pga operon, involved in synthesis and translocation of poly-beta-1,6-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (PGA), were all impaired in this biofilm formation. The presence of the PGA-degrading enzyme dispersin B in the growth media prevented biofilm formation by Pba overexpressing PleD*, further supporting the importance of PGA for biofilm formation by Pba. Importantly, a pga mutant exhibited a reduction in root binding to the host plant under conditions of high intracellular c-di-GMP levels. A modest but consistent increase in pga transcript levels was associated with high intracellular levels of c-di-GMP. Our results indicate tight control of PGA-dependent biofilm formation by c-di-GMP in Pba.</p>

AB - <p>The phytopathogenic bacterium Pectobacterium atrosepticum (Pba) strain SCRI1043 does not exhibit appreciable biofilm formation under standard laboratory conditions. Here we show that a biofilm-forming phenotype in this strain could be activated from a cryptic state by increasing intracellular levels of c-di-GMP, through overexpression of a constitutively active diguanylate cyclase (PleD*) from Caulobacter crescentus. Randomly obtained Pba transposon mutants defective in the pga operon, involved in synthesis and translocation of poly-beta-1,6-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (PGA), were all impaired in this biofilm formation. The presence of the PGA-degrading enzyme dispersin B in the growth media prevented biofilm formation by Pba overexpressing PleD*, further supporting the importance of PGA for biofilm formation by Pba. Importantly, a pga mutant exhibited a reduction in root binding to the host plant under conditions of high intracellular c-di-GMP levels. A modest but consistent increase in pga transcript levels was associated with high intracellular levels of c-di-GMP. Our results indicate tight control of PGA-dependent biofilm formation by c-di-GMP in Pba.</p>

KW - CAROTOVORA SUBSP-ATROSEPTICA

KW - YERSINIA-PESTIS BIOFILM

KW - CYCLIC DIGUANYLIC ACID

KW - ESCHERICHIA-COLI

KW - ERWINIA-CAROTOVORA

KW - PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA

KW - ACTINOBACILLUS-ACTINOMYCETEMCOMITANS

KW - CELLULOSE SYNTHESIS

KW - EXOPOLYSACCHARIDE PRODUCTION

KW - RHIZOBIUM-LEGUMINOSARUM

U2 - 10.1099/mic.0.050450-0

DO - 10.1099/mic.0.050450-0

M3 - Article

VL - 157

SP - 3340

EP - 3348

JO - Microbiology-SGM

T2 - Microbiology-SGM

JF - Microbiology-SGM

SN - 1350-0872

IS - 12

ER -