Interaction between the type 4 pili machinery and a diguanylate cyclase fine-tune c-di-GMP levels during early biofilm formation
Shanice S. Webster, Calvin K. Lee, William C. Schmidt, Gerard C. L. Wong, George A. O’Toole
Abstract
Significance Type 4 pili (T4P) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are important for surface sensing and regulating intracellular c-di-GMP levels during biofilm formation. This work supports a role for the T4P alignment complex, previously known for supporting pili biogenesis, in surface-dependent signaling. Our findings indicate that P. aeruginosa uses a diguanylate cyclase, via a complex web of protein–protein interactions, to integrate signaling through the T4P and the flagellar motor to fine-tune c-di-GMP levels. A key implication of this work is that more than just regulating signal levels, cells must modulate the dynamic range of c-di-GMP to precisely control the transition to a biofilm lifestyle.