Metabolic Activation of CsgD in the Regulation of Biofilms

Among human food-borne pathogens, gastroenteritis-causing strains have the most real-world impact. Like all pathogens, their success relies on efficient transmission. Biofilm formation, a specialized physiology characterized by multicellular aggregation and persistence, is proposed to play an important role in the transmission cycle. In this manuscript, we used luciferase reporters to examine the expression of , which encodes the master biofilm regulator. We observed that the CsgD-regulated biofilm system responds differently to regulatory inputs once it is activated. Notably, the CsgD system became unresponsive to repression by Cpx and H-NS in high osmolarity conditions and less responsive to the addition of amino acids. Temperature-mediated regulation of on agar was altered by intracellular levels of RpoS and cyclic-di-GMP. In contrast, the addition of glucose repressed CsgD biofilms seemingly independent of other signals. Understanding the fine-tuned regulation of can help us to piece together how regulation occurs in natural environments, knowing that all strains face strong selection pressures both within and outside their hosts. Ultimately, we can use this information to better control and develop strategies to break the transmission cycle.