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
Title | Location & Link | Type of Relationship |
The Global Carbon Metabolism Regulator Crc Is a Component of a Signal Transduction Pathway Required for Biofilm Development by Pseudomonas aeruginosa | http://hdl.handle.net/10342/3373 | The described resource references, cites, or otherwise points to the related resource. |