title: RssAB signaling coordinates early development of surface multicellularity in Serratia marcescens.
abstract: Bacteria can coordinate several multicellular behaviors in response to environmental changes. Among these, swarming and biofilm formation have attracted significant attention for their correlation with bacterial pathogenicity. However, little is known about when and where the signaling occurs to trigger either swarming or biofilm formation. We have previously identified an RssAB two-component system involved in the regulation of swarming motility and biofilm formation in Serratia marcescens. Here we monitored the RssAB signaling status within single cells by tracing the location of the translational fusion protein EGFP-RssB following development of swarming or biofilm formation. RssAB signaling is specifically activated before surface migration in swarming development and during the early stage of biofilm formation. The activation results in the release of RssB from its cognate inner membrane sensor kinase, RssA, to the cytoplasm where the downstream gene promoters are located. Such dynamic localization of RssB requires phosphorylation of this regulator. By revealing the temporal activation of RssAB signaling following development of surface multicellular behavior, our findings contribute to an improved understanding of how bacteria coordinate their lifestyle on a surface.
authors: Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors: Yu-Huan
authors: YH
authors: Tsai
authors: Jun-Rong
authors: JR
authors: Wei
authors: Chuan-Sheng
authors: CS
authors: Lin
authors: Po-Han
authors: PH
authors: Chen
authors: Stella
authors: S
authors: Huang
authors: Yu-Ching
authors: YC
authors: Lin
authors: Chia-Fong
authors: CF
authors: Wei
authors: Chia-Chen
authors: CC
authors: Lu
authors: Hsin-Chih
authors: HC
authors: Lai
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018441:Biofilms; D010766:Phosphorylation; D021381:Protein Transport; D012706:Serratia marcescens / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins