Cyclic di-GMP Increases Catalase Production and Hydrogen Peroxide Tolerance in Vibrio cholerae

As a result of infection withV. cholerae , patients become dehydrated, leading to death if not properly treated. The aquatic environment is the natural reservoir forV. cholerae , where it can survive alterations in temperature, salinity, and oxygen. The second messenger molecule c-di-GMP is an important signal regulating host and aquatic environmental persistence because it controls whetherV. cholerae will form a biofilm or disperse through flagellar motility. In this work, we demonstrate another function of c-di-GMP inV. cholerae biology: promoting tolerance to the reactive oxygen species H2 O2 through the differential regulation of catalase expression. Our results suggest a mechanism where c-di-GMP simultaneously controls biofilm formation and antioxidant production, which could promote persistence in human and marine environments.