Stimulation of the <i>Caulobacter crescentus</i> surface sensing pathway by deletion of a specialized minor pilin-like gene.

ABSTRACT: Bacteria colonize surfaces through complex mechanisms of surface sensing. Pili are dynamic bacterial appendages that play an important role in this process. In Caulobacter crescentus, the tension on retracting, surface-bound pili triggers the rapid synthesis of holdfast, an adhesive that permanently attaches cells to surfaces. However, the mechanosensory elements in pilus-mediated surface sensing remain unknown. In this study, we used a genetic screen to isolate mutants with altered pilus dynamics, to identify genes potentially involved in pilus-mediated surface sensing. This screen identified cpaL, whose deletion led to reduced piliation levels, but surprisingly also to increased holdfast production and attachment-an unexpected finding given the importance of pili in these p

SUBMITTER: Obeid Charrouf F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12607857 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature