Photosensing and quorum sensing are integrated to control Pseudomonas aeruginosa collective behaviors

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000579
• Publication Date: 2019-12-12T18:49:04Z
• Authors: Sampriti Mukherjee; Matthew Jemielita; Vasiliki Stergioula; Mikhail Tikhonov; Bonnie L. Bassler
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Virulence; QH301-705.5; Phosphotransferases; Quorum Sensing; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Photoreceptors, Microbial; DNA-Binding Proteins; 03 medical and health sciences; Bacterial Proteins; Biofilms; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Biology (General); Phosphorylation; Research Article; Transcription Factors

Bacteria convert changes in sensory inputs into alterations gene expression, behavior, and lifestyles. A common lifestyle choice that bacteria make is whether to exhibit individual behavior exist the free-living planktonic state or engage collective form sessile communities called biofilms. Transitions between behaviors are controlled by chemical cell-to-cell communication process quorum sensing. Here, we show sensing represses Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation virulence activating expression of genes encoding KinB–AlgB two-component system (TCS). Phospho-AlgB genes, while KinB dephosphorylates thereby inactivates AlgB. We discover photoreceptor BphP kinase that, response light, phosphorylates activates Indeed, exposing P. light expression. To our knowledge, was not previously known detect respond light. The KinB–AlgB–BphP module present all pseudomonads, demonstrate AlgB partner regulator for diverse bacterial phyla. propose system, functions as node at which varied information integrated. This network architecture provides a mechanism enabling integrate least two different inputs, (via RhlR-driven activation algB) BphP–AlgB), control behaviors. study sets stage light-mediated infectivity.