title: Interplay between extracellular matrix components of Pseudomonas putida biofilms.
abstract: The extracellular matrix of bacterial biofilms has at least two key functions: to serve as a structural scaffold for the multicellular community, and to play a protective role against external stress. In this work, we report a compensatory effect whereby Pseudomonas putida reacts to the lack of either of the two main surface proteins involved in biofilm formation, LapA and LapF, by increasing expression and production of a species-specific EPS. Elevated levels of the second messenger molecule cyclic di-GMP alter the balance of extracellular matrix components, and the phenotypes of lapA and lapF mutants under these conditions are indicative of direct interactions taking place between large secreted proteins and exopolysaccharides. Our data suggest the existence of a mechanism by which bacteria would sense alterations in the composition of the extracellular matrix, leading to changes in expression of the different elements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental Del Zaidín, CSIC, Profesor Albareda, 1. Granada 18008, Spain. marta.martinezgil@eez.csic.es
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martínez-Gil
authors.forename: José Miguel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Quesada
authors.forename: María Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Ramos-González
authors.forename: María Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.forename: Ricardo E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: de Cristóbal
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Espinosa-Urgel
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D016958:Pseudomonas putida / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; C062025:bis(3',5')-cyclic diguanylic acid; D006152:Cyclic GMP