Evidence for the Type IV Pilus Retraction Motor PilT as a Component of the Surface Sensing System in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

ABSTRACT: Biofilm formation begins when bacteria contacting a surface induce cellular changes to become better adapted for surface growth. One of the first changes to occur for Pseudomonas aeruginosa after surface contact is an increase in the nucleotide second messenger 3',5'-cyclic AMP (cAMP). It has been demonstrated that this increase in intracellular cAMP is dependent on functional type IV pili (T4P) relaying a signal to the Pil-Chp system, but the mechanism by which this signal is transduced remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate the role of the type IV pilus retraction motor PilT in sensing a surface and relaying that signal to cAMP production. We show that mutations in PilT, and in particular those impacting the ATPase activity of this motor protein, reduce surface-dependent cAMP pr

SUBMITTER: Geiger CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10367593 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature