A choline-sensing regulator coordinates metabolic adaptation and pathogenesis in <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> pulmonary infections.

ABSTRACT: Pseudomonas aeruginosa exploits host-derived phosphatidylcholine (PC) to establish persistent lung infections, yet the mechanistic link between metabolic adaptation and pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that choline (Cho)-induced regulator (CodR), a GcvA-type transcriptional regulator, serves as a master regulator integrating virulence, antibiotic resistance, and PC catabolism during pulmonary infection. CodR directly binds Cho, the key metabolite of PC degradation, to activate pchP and norA, facilitating exogenous PC/Cho utilization. Genome-wide profiling reveals that CodR targets conserved motifs in promoters of mexA, pslA, and amrZ, synchronizing virulence and tolerance pathways. codR deletion attenuated biofilm formation

SUBMITTER: Song Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12533582 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature