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Chemotaxis and cyclic‐di‐GMP signalling control surface attachment of Escherichia coli
Author(s) -
Suchanek Verena Maria,
EstebanLópez María,
Colin Rémy,
Besharova Olga,
Fritz Kirstin,
Sourjik Victor
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/mmi.14438
Subject(s) - chemotaxis , motility , biofilm , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , escherichia coli , fimbria , flagellum , pilus , regulator , response regulator , adhesion , signalling , bacteria , biophysics , biochemistry , gene , chemistry , receptor , genetics , bacterial protein , organic chemistry
Abstract Attachment to surfaces is an important early step during bacterial infection and during formation of submerged biofilms. Although flagella‐mediated motility is known to be important for attachment of Escherichia coli and other bacteria, implications of motility regulation by cellular signalling remain to be understood. Here, we show that motility largely promotes attachment of E. coli , including that mediated by type 1 fimbriae, by allowing cells to reach, get hydrodynamically trapped at and explore the surface. Inactivation or inhibition of the chemotaxis signalling pathway improves attachment by suppressing cell reorientations and thereby increasing surface residence times. The attachment is further enhanced by deletion of genes encoding the cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c‐di‐GMP)‐dependent flagellar brake YcgR or the diguanylate cyclase DgcE. Such increased attachment in absence of c‐di‐GMP signalling is in contrast to its commonly accepted function as a positive regulator of the sessile state. It is apparently due to the increased swimming speed of E. coli in absence of YcgR‐mediated motor control, which strengthens adhesion mediated by the type 1 fimbriae. Thus, both signalling networks that regulate motility of E. coli also control its engagement with both biotic and abiotic surfaces, which has likely implications for infection and biofilm formation.