Inter-Bacterial Communication through Exopolysaccharide Sensing

POSTER

Abstract

Bacterial exopolysaccharides (EPS) have long been thought to be a kind of 'molecular glue' that promotes surface adhesion. Previous studies have additionally shown that PAO1 can sense EPS trails of Psl deposited on a surface to orchestrate motility during the early stages of forming a biofilm community. This sensory signal is transduced into cyclic-di-guanylate monophosphate (cdGMP) second messengers, but none of the known receptors/adhesins that bind to Psl components have any roles in signal transduction. Through the use of patterned glycomimetic trails, consisting of grafted polymers with mannose pendant groups, we find that PAO1 are capable of EPS sensing based on continuous mechanochemical surveillance of Pa's environment. We found that this sensing is conducted via type IV pili (T4P) powered 'force spectroscopy', with appendages pulling against cell-body localized adhesins which interact with specific EPS motifs in the Psl trails. We propose that this sensing generates a transitional population with both elevated cdGMP and high motility, capable of following EPS trails. Our results demonstrate a generalizable mechanism of surface chemo-sensing through mechanosensitive appendages, facilitating spatiotemporal cell-cell communicative responses through motility and EPS.

*This project was funded by the Army Research Office, NIH, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, and Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award “Multidisciplinary Training in Microbial Pathogenesis”.

Publication: Schmidt, W. C., Lee, C. K., Zheng, X., Chen, J. W., Fetah, K. L., Popoli, J. R., Choi, Y. S., Young, T. D., Weiss, P. S., Kasko, A. M., O'Toole, G. A., Parsek, M. P. & Wong, G. C. L. Inter-Bacterial Communication through Exopolysaccharide Sensing. Nature (submitted)

Presenters

  • William C Schmidt

    • University of California, Los Angeles

Authors

  • William C Schmidt

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Calvin K Lee

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Xuhui Zheng

    • University of Washington

  • Jonathan W Chen

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Kirsten L Fetah

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • James R Popoli

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Yun Su Choi

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Thomas D Young

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Raymond Archuleta

    • East Los Angeles College

  • Juan Dominguez

    • East Los Angeles College

  • Diego Estrada Castro

    • East Los Angeles College

  • Ziwei Li

    • East Los Angeles College

  • Liz Yee

    • East Los Angeles College

  • Bryant Zelaya

    • East Los Angeles College

  • Paul S Weiss

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • Andrea M Kasko

    • University of California, Los Angeles

  • George A O'Toole

    • Geisel School of Medicine

  • Matthew R Parsek

    • University of Washington

  • Gerard Wong

    • University of California, Los Angeles