PqsR-dependent and PqsR-independent regulation of motility and biofilm formation by PQS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen capable of group behaviors including swarming motility and biofilm formation. Swarming motility plays an important role in the bacterium's spread to new environments, attachment to surfaces, and biofilm formation. Bacterial biofilm is associated with many persistent infections and increased resistance to antibiotics. In this study, we tested the effect of a 2-alkyl-4(1H)-quinolone (AHQ) signal, the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) on P. aeruginosa swarming and biofilm formation. Our results show that PQS repressed the swarming motility of P. aeruginosa PAO1. Such repression was independent of its cognate receptor PqsR and was not related to changes in the flagellae, type IV pili or the production of the surface-wetting agent rhamnolipid surfactant. While PQS did not affect twitching motility in PAO1, a pqsR deletion abolished twitching motility, indicating that pqsR is required for twitching motility. Our results also indicate that the enhancement of biofilm formation by PQS is at least partially dependent on the GacAS-Rsm regulatory pathway but does not involve the las or rhl QS systems.

• Authors: Qiao Guo, Weina Kong, Sheng Jin, Lin Chen, Yangyang Xu, Kangmin Duan
• Journal: Journal of basic microbiology (J Basic Microbiol) Vol. 54 Issue 7 Pg. 633-43 (Jul 2014) ISSN: 1521-4028 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 23996096 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Chemical References

• 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4-quinolone
• Bacterial Proteins
• Glycolipids
• Quinolones
• Receptors, Cell Surface
• rhamnolipid

Topics

• Bacterial Proteins (genetics, metabolism)
• Biofilms (drug effects, growth & development)
• Fimbriae, Bacterial (physiology)
• Flagella (drug effects, physiology)
• Gene Deletion
• Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
• Glycolipids (biosynthesis)
• Movement (drug effects, physiology)
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa (drug effects, genetics, metabolism)
• Quinolones (metabolism, pharmacology)
• Quorum Sensing
• Receptors, Cell Surface (genetics, metabolism)
• Signal Transduction