The c-di-GMP effector FleQ controls alginate production by repressing transcription of <i>algD</i> in <i>Azotobacter vinelandii</i>.

ABSTRACT: Production of the exopolysaccharide alginate by Azotobacter vinelandii, member of the Pseudomonadaceae family, is positively controlled by the second messenger c-di-GMP. This effect was solely attributed to the role of c-di-GMP in activating the alginate polymerase complex. In this study, the role of c-di-GMP in algD transcription, which encodes the key enzyme for alginate synthesis, was investigated. algD transcription correlated with artificially high or low levels of c-di-GMP. Moreover, FleQ, one of the best-characterized c-di-GMP effectors, was found to exert a negative effect on alginate production and algD transcription, as both increased in a ΔfleQ mutant relative to the wild-type strain or the ΔfleQ/fleQ+ complemented strain.

SUBMITTER: Barrios-Rafael VV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12022260 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature