title: c-di-GMP and its Effects on Biofilm Formation and Dispersion: a Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Review.
abstract: Since its initial discovery as an allosteric factor regulating cellulose biosynthesis in Gluconacetobacter xylinus, the list of functional outputs regulated by c-di-GMP has grown. We have focused this article on one of these c-di-GMP-regulated processes, namely, biofilm formation in the organism Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The majority of diguanylate cyclases and phosphodiesterases encoded in the P. aeruginosa genome still remain uncharacterized; thus, there is still a great deal to be learned about the link between c-di-GMP and biofilm formation in this microbe. In particular, while a number of c-di-GMP metabolizing enzymes have been identified that participate in reversible and irreversible attachment and biofilm maturation, there is a still a significant knowledge gap regarding the c-di-GMP output systems in this organism. Even for the well-characterized Pel system, where c-di-GMP-mediated transcriptional regulation is now well documented, how binding of c-di-GMP by PelD stimulates Pel production is not understood in any detail. Similarly, c-di-GMP-mediated control of swimming, swarming and twitching also remains to be elucidated. Thus, despite terrific advances in our understanding of P. aeruginosa biofilm formation and the role of c-di-GMP in this process since the last version of this book (indeed there was no chapter on c-di-GMP!) there is still much to learn.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Microbiology and Immunonology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755.
authors.forename: Dae-Gon
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Departments of Microbiology and Immunonology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755.
authors.forename: George A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: O'Toole
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C062025:bis(3',5')-cyclic diguanylic acid; D006152:Cyclic GMP