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

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...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Microbiology (Society for General Microbiology) 2011-12, Vol.157 (Pt 12), p.3340-3348
Main Authors: PEREZ-MENDOZA, Daniel, COULTHURST, Sarah J, SANJUAN, Juan, SALMOND, George P. C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acetylglucosamine - metabolism
Bacterial plant pathogens
Bacteriology
Biofilms - growth & development
Biological and medical sciences
Caulobacter crescentus - enzymology
Caulobacter crescentus - genetics
Cyclic GMP - analogs & derivatives
Cyclic GMP - metabolism
DNA Transposable Elements
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene Expression
Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
Microbiology
Miscellaneous
Mutagenesis, Insertional
Pectobacterium - growth & development
Pectobacterium - metabolism
Pectobacterium - physiology
Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection
Recombinant Proteins - biosynthesis
Recombinant Proteins - genetics
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Summary: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-β-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.
ISSN:1350-0872
1465-2080
DOI:10.1099/mic.0.050450-0