"It's a gut feeling" - Escherichia coli biofilm formation in the gastrointestinal tract environment

Escherichia coli can commonly be found, either as a commensal, probiotic or a pathogen, in the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Biofilm formation and its regulation is surprisingly variable, although distinct regulatory pattern of red, dry and rough (rdar) biofilm formation arise in certain pathovars and even clones. In the GI tract, environmental conditions, signals from the host and from commensal bacteria contribute to shape E. coli biofilm formation within the multi-faceted multicellular communities in a complex and integrated fashion. Although some major regulatory networks, adhesion factors and extracellular matrix components constituting E. coli biofilms have been recognized, these processes have mainly been characterized in vitro and in the context of interaction of E. coli strains with intestinal epithelial cells. However, direct observation of E. coli cells in situ, and the vast number of genes encoding surface appendages on the core or accessory genome of E. coli suggests the complexity of the biofilm process to be far from being fully understood. In this review, we summarize biofilm formation mechanisms of commensal, probiotic and pathogenic E. coli in the context of the gastrointestinal tract

Gre factors are required fot biofilm formation in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium by targeting transcription of the cgsD gene

Rdar biofilm formation of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli is a common ancient multicellular behavior relevant in cell-cell and inter-organism interactions equally, as in interaction with biotic and abiotic surfaces. With the expression of the characteristic extracellular matrix components amyloid curli fimbriae and the exopolysaccharide cellulose, the central hub for the delicate regulation of rdar morphotype expression is the orphan transcriptional regulator CsgD. Gre factors are ubiquitously interacting with RNA polymerase to selectively overcome transcriptional pausing. In this work, we found that GreA/GreB are required for expression of the csgD operon and consequently the rdar morphotype. The ability of the Gre factors to suppress transcriptional pausing and the 147 bp 5′-UTR of csgD are required for the stimulatory effect of the Gre factors on csgD expression. These novel mechanism(s) of regulation for the csgD operon might be relevant under specific stress conditions

Child labor and conflict: evidence from Afghanistan

We study the impact of conflict on both the extensive and the intensive margin of child labor in Afghanistan. We identify and test two main mechanisms. First, if conflict reduces a household income through a decline in parent's compensations, child labor may insure against the decrease in consumption (extensive margin). Second, a child may work longer hours if the marginal benefits of working under conflict is greater than its marginal cost, which may depend on the relative compensations between adults and children, and on the alternative activities (e.g. schooling). Using detailed conflict data from the Afghan War Diary we identify the effect of conflict relying on a shift-share IV strategy. We find that conflict increases the probability that girls work, but reduces the number of hours worked. Our results suggest that this is due to a decrease in household income and an increase in the relative compensations of adults

A non-radioactive mass spectrometry based differential radial capillary action of ligand assay (DRaCALA) to assess ligand binding to proteins

Binding of ligands to macromolecules changes their physicochemical characteristics. Cyclic di-GMP and other cyclic di-nucleotides are second messengers involved in motility/sessility and acute/chronic infection life style transition. Although the GGDEF domain encoding preferentially a diguanylate cyclase represents one of the most abundant bacterial domain superfamilies, the number of cyclic di-GMP receptors falls short. To facilitate screening for cyclic di-nucleotide binding proteins, we describe a non-radioactive, MALDI-TOF based modification of the widely applied differential radial capillary action of ligand assay (DRaCALA). The results of this assay suggest that YciRFec101, but not the YciRTOB1 variant of the diguanylate cyclase/phosphodiesterase YciR binds cyclic di-GMP

Detailed analysis of c-di-GMP mediated regulation of csgD expression in Salmonella typhimurium

Background: The secondary messenger cyclic di-GMP promotes biofilm formation by up regulating the expression of csgD, encoding the major regulator of rdar biofilm formation in Salmonella typhimurium. The GGDEF/EAL domain proteins regulate the c-di-GMP turnover. There are twenty-two GGDEF/EAL domain proteins in the genome of S. typhimurium. In this study, we dissect the role of individual GGDEF/EAL proteins for csgD expression and rdar biofilm development. Results: Among twelve GGDEF domains, two proteins upregulate and among fifteen EAL domains, four proteins down regulate csgD expression. We identified two additional GGDEF proteins required to promote optimal csgD expression. With the exception of the EAL domain of STM1703, solely, diguanylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase activities are required to regulate csgD mediated rdar biofilm formation. Identification of corresponding phosphodiesterases and diguanylate cyclases interacting in the csgD regulatory network indicates various levels of regulation by c-di-GMP. The phosphodiesterase STM1703 represses transcription of csgD via a distinct promoter upstream region. Conclusion: The enzymatic activity and the protein scaffold of GGDEF/EAL domain proteins regulate csgD expression. Thereby, c-di-GMP adjusts csgD expression at multiple levels presumably using a multitude of input signals

DncV Synthesizes Cyclic GMP-AMP and Regulates Biofilm Formation and Motility in ECOR31.

Cyclic dinucleotides (cDNs) act as intracellular second messengers, modulating bacterial physiology to regulate the fundamental life style transition between motility and sessility commonly known as biofilm formation. Cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP), synthesized by the dinucleotide cyclase DncV, is a newly discovered cDN second messenger involved in virulence and chemotaxis in Vibrio cholerae O1 biovar El Tor. Here we report a novel role for horizontally transferred DncV in cGAMP production and regulation of biofilm formation and motility in the animal commensal strain Escherichia coli ECOR31. ECOR31 expresses a semiconstitutive temperature-independent rdar (red, dry, and rough) morphotype on Congo red agar plates characterized by the extracellular matrix components cellulose and curli fimbriae which requires activation by the major biofilm regulator CsgD and cyclic di-GMP signaling. In contrast, C-terminal His-tagged DncV negatively regulates the rdar biofilm morphotype and cell aggregation via downregulation of csgD mRNA steady-state level. Furthermore, DncV sequentially promotes and inhibits adhesion to the abiotic surface after 24 h and 48 h of growth, respectively. DncV also suppresses swimming and swarming motility posttranscriptional of the class 1 flagellum regulon gene flhD Purified DncV produced different cDNs, cyclic di-GMP, cyclic di-AMP, an unknown product(s), and the dominant species 3'3'-cGAMP. In vivo, only the 3'3'-cGAMP concentration was elevated upon short-term overexpression of dncV, making this work a first report on cGAMP production in E. coli Regulation of rdar biofilm formation and motility upon overexpression of untagged DncV in combination with three adjacent cotransferred gene products suggests a novel temperature-dependent cGAMP signaling module in E. coli ECOR31.IMPORTANCE The ability of bacteria to sense and respond to environmental signals is critical for survival. Bacteria use cyclic dinucleotides as second messengers to regulate a number of physiological processes, such as the fundamental life style transition between motility and sessility (biofilm formation). cGAMP, which is synthesized by a dinucleotide cyclase called DncV, is a newly discovered second messenger involved in virulence and chemotaxis in the Vibrio cholerae biovar El Tor causing the current 7th cholera pandemic. However, to what extent cGAMP exists and participates in physiological processes in other bacteria is still unknown. In this study, we found an elevated cGAMP level to possibly regulate biofilm formation and motility in the animal commensal E. coli strain ECOR31. Thus, we detected a novel role for cGAMP signaling in regulation of physiological processes other than those previously reported in proteobacterial species

Additional file 2: Figure S1. of Detailed analysis of c-di-GMP mediated regulation of csgD expression in Salmonella typhimurium

Complementation of rdar morphotype and csgD expression by cyclic di-GMP turnover proteins. Figure S2. CsgD levels and rdar morphotype formation of S. typhimurium UMR1 upon expression of the GGDEF-EAL protein STM1703 and its catalytic mutants. Figure S3. STM1827 regulates rdar morphotype and csgD expression by degrading the global pools of c-di-GMP. Figure S4. Enhanced rdar morphotype in STM4264 and STM1703 mutants is dependent on the transcriptional regulators RpoS and OmpR. Figure S5. Effect of c-di-GMP signalling on translation and functionality of CsgD. Figure S6. Schematic representation of GGDEF/EAL proteins and mutants used in the study. (DOCX 1739 kb

Additional file 1: Table S1. of Detailed analysis of c-di-GMP mediated regulation of csgD expression in Salmonella typhimurium

Strains and plasmids, Table S2. Primers and references to supplementary material. (DOCX 40 kb

BcsZ inhibits biofilm phenotypes and promotes virulence by blocking cellulose production in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium

Background: Cellulose, a 1,4 beta-glucan polysaccharide, is produced by a variety of organisms including bacteria. Although the production of cellulose has a high biological, ecological and economical impact, regulatory mechanisms of cellulose biosynthesis are mostly unknown. Family eight cellulases are regularly associated with cellulose biosynthesis operons in bacteria; however, their function is poorly characterized. In this study, we analysed the role of the cellulase BcsZ encoded by the bcsABZC cellulose biosynthesis operon of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) in biofilm related behavior. We also investigated the involvement of BcsZ in pathogenesis of S. Typhimurium including a murine typhoid fever infection model. Result: In S. Typhimurium, cellulase BcsZ with a putative periplasmic location negatively regulates cellulose biosynthesis. Moreover, as assessed with a non-polar mutant, BcsZ affects cellulose-associated phenotypes such as the rdar biofilm morphotype, cell clumping, biofilm formation, pellicle formation and flagella-dependent motility. Strikingly, although upregulation of cellulose biosynthesis was not observed on agar plate medium at 37 degrees C, BcsZ is required for efficient pathogen-host interaction. Key virulence phenotypes of S. Typhimurium such as invasion of epithelial cells and proliferation in macrophages were positively regulated by BcsZ. Further on, a bcsZ mutant was outcompeted by the wild type in organ colonization in the murine typhoid fever infection model. Selected phenotypes were relieved upon deletion of the cellulose synthase BcsA and/or the central biofilm activator CsgD. Conclusion: Although the protein scaffold has an additional physiological role, our findings indicate that the catalytic activity of BcsZ effectively downregulates CsgD activated cellulose biosynthesis. Repression of cellulose production by BcsZ subsequently enables Salmonella to efficiently colonize the host

Structural and Functional Characterization of the BcsG Subunit of the Cellulose Synthase in Salmonella typhimurium

Many bacteria secrete cellulose, which forms the structural basis for bacterial multicellular aggregates, termed biofilms. The cellulose synthase complex of Salmonella typhimurium consists of the catalytic subunits BcsA and BcsB and several auxiliary subunits that are encoded by two divergently transcribed operons, bcsRQABZC and bcsEFG. Expression of the bcsEFG operon is required for full-scale cellulose production, but the functions of its products are not fully understood. This work aimed to characterize the BcsG subunit of the cellulose synthase, which consists of an N-terminal transmembrane fragment and a C-terminal domain in the periplasm. Deletion of the bcsG gene substantially decreased the total amount of BcsA and cellulose production. BcsA levels were partially restored by the expression of the transmembrane segment, whereas restoration of cellulose production required the presence of the C-terminal periplasmic domain and its characteristic metal-binding residues. The high-resolution crystal structure of the periplasmic domain characterized BcsG as a member of the alkaline phosphatase/sulfatase superfamily of metalloenzymes, containing a conserved Zn$^{2+}$-binding site. Sequence and structural comparisons showed that BcsG belongs to a specific family within alkaline phosphatase-like enzymes, which includes bacterial Zn$^{2+}$-dependent lipopolysaccharide phosphoethanolamine transferases such as MCR-1 (colistin resistance protein), EptA, and EptC and the Mn$^{2+}$-dependent lipoteichoic acid synthase (phosphoglycerol transferase) LtaS. These enzymes use the phospholipids phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol, respectively, as substrates. These data are consistent with the recently discovered phosphoethanolamine modification of cellulose by BcsG and show that its membrane-bound and periplasmic parts play distinct roles in the assembly of the functional cellulose synthase and cellulose production