Nonmotile Subpopulations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Repress Flagellar Motility in Motile Cells through a Type IV Pilus- and Pel-Dependent Mechanism

• DOI: 10.1128/jb.00528-21
• Publication Date: 2022-04-04T13:00:44Z
• Authors: Kimberley A. Lewis; Danielle M. Vermi...; Shanice S. Webster; Christopher J. Ge...; Jaime de Anda; Gerard C. L. Wong; George A. O’Toole; Deborah A. Hogan
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; Bacterial Proteins; Flagella; Fimbriae, Bacterial; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial

Our study shows that, under the conditions tested, a small population of non-swarming cells can impact the motility behavior of a larger population. The interactions that lead to the suppression of swarming motility require type IV pili and a secreted polysaccharide, two factors with known roles in biofilm formation.