Characterization of self-generated variants in Pseudoalteromonas lipolytica biofilm with increased antifouling activities.
Pseudoalteromonas is widespread in various marine environments, and most strains can affect invertebrate larval settlement and metamorphosis by forming biofilms. However, the impact and the molecular basis of population diversification occurring in Pseudoalteromonas biofilms are poorly understood. Here, we show that morphological diversification is prevalent in Pseudoalteromonas species during biofilm formation. Two types of genetic variants, wrinkled (frequency of 12±5%) and translucent (frequency of 5±3%), were found in Pseudoalteromonas lipolytica biofilms. The inducing activities of biofilms formed by the two variants on larval settlement and metamorphosis of the mussel Mytilus coruscus were significantly decreased, suggesting strong antifouling activities. Using whole-genome re-sequencing combined with genetic manipulation, two genes were identified to be responsible for the morphology alternations. A nonsense mutation in AT00_08765 led to a wrinkled morphology due to the overproduction of cellulose, whereas a point mutation in AT00_17125 led to a translucent morphology via a reduction in capsular polysaccharide production. Taken together, the results suggest that the microbial behavior on larval settlement and metamorphosis in marine environment could be affected by the self-generated variants generated during the formation of marine biofilms, thereby rendering potential application in biocontrol of marine biofouling.
Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, People's Republic of China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
Zhenshun
Z
Zeng
Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.
Xing-Pan
XP
Guo
Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, People's Republic of China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
Baiyuan
B
Li
Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, People's Republic of China.
Pengxia
P
Wang
Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, People's Republic of China.
Xingsheng
X
Cai
Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, People's Republic of China.
Xinpeng
X
Tian
Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, People's Republic of China.
Si
S
Zhang
Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China. jlyang@shou.edu.cn.
Jin-Long
JL
Yang
Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, People's Republic of China. xxwang@scsio.ac.cn.
Xiaoxue
X
Wang
D000818:Animals; D000898:Antibiosis; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D009154:Mutation; D049878:Mytilus / Q000254:growth & development*; D031161:Pseudoalteromonas / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D014871:Water Microbiology
Antifouling; Biofilm variant; Exopolysaccharide; Pseudoalteromonas