The Global Carbon Metabolism Regulator Crc Is a Component of a Signal Transduction Pathway Required for Biofilm Development by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Karine A. Gibbs (Creator)

Paul W. Hager (Creator)

Roberto Kolter (Creator)

George A. O'Toole (Creator)

Paul V. Jr. Phibbs (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: The transition from a planktonic (free-swimming) existence to growth attached to a surface in a biofilm occurs in response to environmental factors including the availability of nutrients. We show that the catabolite repression control (Crc) protein which plays a role in the regulation of carbon metabolism is necessary for biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using phase-contrast microscopy we found that a crc mutant only makes a dispersed monolayer of cells on a plastic surface but does not develop the dense monolayer punctuated by microcolonies typical of the wild-type strain. This is a phenotype identical to that observed in mutants defective in type IV pilus biogenesis. Consistent with this observation crc mutants are defective in type IV pilus-mediated twitching motility. We show that this defect in type IV pilus function is due (at least in part) to a decrease in pilA (pilin) transcription. We propose that nutritional cues are integrated by Crc as part of a signal transduction pathway that regulates biofilm development. Originally published Journal of Bacteriology Vol. 182 No. 2 Jan 2000

Additional Information

Publication

Other

Journal of Bacteriology. 182:2(January 2000) p. 425-431.

Language: English

Date: 2011

Keywords

biofilm, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, catabolite repression control

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