Open AccessLipase LipC affects motility, biofilm formation and rhamnolipid production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Author(s) -
Rosenau Frank,
Isenhardt Silke,
Gdynia Aneta,
Tielker Denis,
Schmidt Ernst,
Tielen Petra,
Schobert Max,
Jahn Dieter,
Wilhelm Susanne,
Jaeger KarlErich
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2010.02017.x
Subject(s) - swarming motility , operon , mutant , rhamnolipid , pseudomonas aeruginosa , biology , biofilm , motility , microbiology and biotechnology , pilus , biochemistry , gene , chemistry , bacteria , genetics , quorum sensing , escherichia coli
Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces and secretes several lipolytic enzymes, among them the lipases LipA and LipC. LipA is encoded within the lipA / lipH operon, together with its cognate foldase LipH, which was also found to be required for the functional expression of LipC. At present, the physiological function of LipC is unknown. We have cloned a synthetic operon consisting of the lipC structural gene and the foldase gene lipH obtained from the lipA / lipH operon and have constructed, in parallel, a lipC ‐deficient P. aeruginosa mutant. Inactivation of the lipC gene significantly impaired type IV pilus‐dependent twitching and swarming motility, but also the flagella‐mediated swimming motility of P. aeruginosa . Moreover, for the lipC mutant, we observed a significant decrease in the amount of extracellular rhamnolipids. Also, the P. aeruginosa lipC mutant showed a significantly altered biofilm architecture. Proteome analysis revealed the accumulation of the response regulator protein PhoP in the lipC mutant.