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. 2023 Sep 21:14:1258415.
doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1258415. eCollection 2023.

Bioinformatic and functional characterization of cyclic-di-GMP metabolic proteins in Vibrio alginolyticus unveils key diguanylate cyclases controlling multiple biofilm-associated phenotypes

Affiliations

Bioinformatic and functional characterization of cyclic-di-GMP metabolic proteins in Vibrio alginolyticus unveils key diguanylate cyclases controlling multiple biofilm-associated phenotypes

Xiao-Xiao Gong et al. Front Microbiol. .

Abstract

The biofilm lifestyle is critical for bacterial survival and proliferation in the fluctuating marine environment. Cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) is a key second messenger during bacterial adaptation to various environmental signals, which has been identified as a master regulator of biofilm formation. However, little is known about whether and how c-di-GMP signaling regulates biofilm formation in Vibrio alginolyticus, a globally dominant marine pathogen. Here, a large set of 63 proteins were predicted to participate in c-di-GMP metabolism (biosynthesis or degradation) in a pathogenic V. alginolyticus strain HN08155. Guided by protein homology, conserved domains and gene context information, a representative subset of 22 c-di-GMP metabolic proteins were selected to determine which ones affect biofilm-associated phenotypes. By comparing phenotypic differences between the wild-type and mutants or overexpression strains, we found that 22 c-di-GMP metabolic proteins can separately regulate different phenotypic outputs in V. alginolyticus. The results indicated that overexpression of four c-di-GMP metabolic proteins, including VA0356, VA1591 (CdgM), VA4033 (DgcB) and VA0088, strongly enhanced rugose colony morphotypes and strengthened Congo Red (CR) binding capacity, both of which are indicators of biofilm matrix overproduction. Furthermore, rugose enhanced colonies were accompanied by increased transcript levels of extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) biosynthesis genes and decreased expression of flagellar synthesis genes compared to smooth colonies (WTpBAD control), as demonstrated by overexpression strains WTp4033 and ∆VA4033p4033. Overall, the high abundance of c-di-GMP metabolic proteins in V. alginolyticus suggests that c-di-GMP signaling and regulatory system could play a key role in its response and adaptation to the ever-changing marine environment. This work provides a robust foundation for the study of the molecular mechanisms of c-di-GMP in the biofilm formation of V. alginolyticus.

Keywords: Vibrio alginolyticus; biofilm; c-di-GMP; extracellular polysaccharide; rugose.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Comparisons of the 22 c-di-GMP metabolic proteins of Vibrio alginolyticus containing a GGDEF or EAL domain with those of closely related Vibrio species and other bacterial species (A). Phylogenetic tree analysis of V. alginolyticus and other species based on 16S rRNA gene sequences (B).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Representative images of colony morphology of the wild-type strain (or wild-type carrying pBAD vector) and 4 c-di-GMP metabolic gene deletion mutants and corresponding 4 overexpression strains on LBS (A) and LB (B) plates. Experiments were performed in three independent biological replicates and representative images are shown (scaled to equal diameter; bars = 5 mm).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Relative expression levels of genes involved in EPS production and flagellar synthesis between strain WTpBAD and overexpression strains WTp4033 (or ∆VA4033p4033) on LBS plates. The transcript levels of genes in WTpBAD were set to a value of 1 as a reference, and the upper and lower dashed lines indicate expression levels of 2-fold and 50% compared to the WTpBAD, respectively. The results presented are the mean of triplicate experiments and error bars represent SDs. *, p < 0.05.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Static biofilm formation assay. The wild-type, 22 c-di-GMP metabolic gene deletion mutants, and the corresponding 22 overexpression strains were cultured in LB liquid medium in 96-well plate for 6 h. All measurements of biofilm biomass were normalized to the value of the wild-type. The results presented are the mean of triplicate experiments and error bars represent SDs. *, p < 0.05.
Figure 5
Figure 5
EPS production determined with Congo red plates. Representative images of the wild-type, 22 c-di-GMP metabolic gene deletion mutants and corresponding 22 overexpression strains on TSA plates staining with Congo red were shown. Experiments were performed in three independent biological replicates (scaled to equal diameter; bars = 5 mm).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Swarming motility assay. The swarming diameter of the wild type, 10 c-di-GMP metabolic gene deletion mutants, and corresponding 10 overexpression strains on LBS plates with 0.6% agar, the results presented are the mean of triplicate experiments and error bars represent SDs. *, p < 0.05. (A) Representative images of swarming motility reduction in strains ∆1591p1591, ∆4033p4033 and ∆0356p0356. The nonmotile (no clearly visible movement outside the colony) ∆flhF mutant served as a negative control (B).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Schematic for proposed conceptual model for key c-di-GMP metabolic genes that required for biofilm-associated phenotypes in V. alginolyticus.

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