This Article Full Text (PDF) Other Versions of this Article: IAI.00201-07v1 75/8/3780    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Van Alst, N. E. Articles by Haidaris, C. G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Van Alst, N. E. Articles by Haidaris, C. G.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Infect. Immun. doi:10.1128/IAI.00201-07
Copyright (c) 2007, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved.

Nitrate sensing and metabolism modulates motility, biofilm formation, and virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14642

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: haid{at}mail.rochester.edu.

	Abstract

Infection by the bacterial opportunist Pseudomonas aeruginosa frequently assumes the form of a biofilm, requiring motility for biofilm formation and dispersal, and an ability to grow in nutrient and oxygen limited environments. Anaerobic growth by P. aeruginosa is accomplished through the denitrification enzyme pathway that catalyzes the sequential reduction of nitrate to nitrogen gas. Mutants in the two-component nitrate sensor-response regulator and in membrane nitrate reductase displayed altered motility and biofilm formation compared to wild type P. aeruginosa PAO1. Analysis of additional mutants in nitrate dissimilation demonstrated a second level of regulation in P. aeruginosa motility that is independent of nitrate sensor-response regulator function and is associated with nitric oxide production. Because motility and biofilm formation are important for P. aeruginosa pathogenicity, we examined the virulence of selected regulatory and structural gene mutants in the surrogate model host Caenorhabditis elegans. Interestingly, the membrane nitrate reductase mutant was avirulent in C. elegans, while nitrate sensor-response regulator mutants were fully virulent. The data demonstrate that nitrate sensing, response regulation and metabolism is linked directly to factors important in P. aeruginosa pathogenesis.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Overhage, J., Bains, M., Brazas, M. D., Hancock, R. E. W. (2008). Swarming of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Is a Complex Adaptation Leading to Increased Production of Virulence Factors and Antibiotic Resistance. J. Bacteriol. 190: 2671-2679 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Noriega, C. E., Sharma, V., Rowe, J. J. (2007). Artificial Control of Nitrate Respiration through the lac Promoter Permits the Assessment of Oxygen-Mediated Posttranslational Regulation of the nar Operon in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J. Bacteriol. 189: 6501-6505 [Abstract] [Full Text]