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

Daniel Perez-Mendoza, Sarah J. Coulthurst, Juan Sanjuan, George P. C. Salmond

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    48 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    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.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)3340-3348
    Number of pages9
    JournalMicrobiology
    Volume157
    Issue number12
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Dec 2011

    Keywords

    • CAROTOVORA SUBSP-ATROSEPTICA
    • YERSINIA-PESTIS BIOFILM
    • CYCLIC DIGUANYLIC ACID
    • ESCHERICHIA-COLI
    • ERWINIA-CAROTOVORA
    • PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA
    • ACTINOBACILLUS-ACTINOMYCETEMCOMITANS
    • CELLULOSE SYNTHESIS
    • EXOPOLYSACCHARIDE PRODUCTION
    • RHIZOBIUM-LEGUMINOSARUM

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