title: The role of activated acetate intermediates in the control ofEscherichia colibiofilm amounts.
abstract: A previous study postulated that acetate metabolism was a metabolic sensory mechanism that related information aboutE. coli's environment to the formation of biofilms (Prüβ et al., Arch. Microbiol. 2010). Considering that mutants inpta ackA(no acetyl phosphate) andackA(high acetyl phosphate) exhibited similarly increased biofilm amounts and three dimensional structures, the hypothesis for this study was that acetyl Co-A was a more likely mediator of the acetate effect than acetyl phosphate. The effect of acetate metabolism on biofilm amounts was detailed by using single carbon sources rather than the previously used mixed amino acid medium, as well as mutations in additional genes that contribute to acetate metabolism (ldhA,pflA,pflB). In summary, the mutations inackA, pta ackA,andldhAincreased biofilm amounts in the presence of maltose, D-trehalose, D-mannose, and L-rhamnose, all of which get converted to acetyl-CoA. TheackAmutant also exhibited increased biofilm amounts in the presence of inosine and thymidine. The mutation inpflAdecreased biofilm amounts in the presence of maltotriose, uridine, D-serine, and acetate. SinceackA,pta ackA, andldhAmutants are expected to exhibit increased intracellular acetyl-CoA levels, andpflAandpflBmutants likely exhibit decreased acetyl-CoA concentrations, we believe that acetyl-CoA is the activated acetate intermediate that controls biofilm amounts.
authors: Department of Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo ND 58108.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Mugabi
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Sandgren
authors: Megan
authors: M
authors: Born
authors: Ian
authors: I
authors: Leith
authors: Shelley M
authors: SM
authors: Horne
authors: Birgit M
authors: BM
authors: Prüβ
keywords: Escherichia coli; acetate metabolism; bacterial biofilms