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Protein & Cell

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Prot Cell    2011, Vol. 2 Issue (3) : 173-179    https://doi.org/10.1007/s13238-011-1024-3      PMID: 21380640
REVIEW
Formation and regulation of Yersinia biofilms
Dongsheng Zhou(), Ruifu Yang()
State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
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Abstract

Flea-borne transmission is a recent evolutionary adaptation that distinguishes the deadly Yersinia pestis from its progenitor Y. pseudotuberculosis, a mild pathogen transmitted via the food-borne route. Y. pestis synthesizes biofilms in the flea gut, which is important for flea-borne transmission. Yersinia biofilms are bacterial colonies surrounded by extracellular matrix primarily containing a homopolymer of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine that are synthesized by a set of specific enzymes. Yersinia biofilm production is tightly regulated at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. All the known structural genes responsible for biofilm production are harbored in both Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. pestis, but Y. pestis has evolved changes in the regulation of biofilm development, thereby acquiring efficient arthropod-borne transmission.
Keywords Yersinia pestis      Y. pseudotuberculosis      biofilm      flea-borne transmission     
Corresponding Author(s): Zhou Dongsheng,Email:dongshengzhou1977@gmail.com (D. Zhou); Yang Ruifu,Email:ruifuyang@gmail.com (R.Yang)   
Issue Date: 01 March 2011
 Cite this article:   
Dongsheng Zhou,Ruifu Yang. Formation and regulation of Yersinia biofilms[J]. Prot Cell, 2011, 2(3): 173-179.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/pac/EN/10.1007/s13238-011-1024-3
https://academic.hep.com.cn/pac/EN/Y2011/V2/I3/173
Fig.1  A microbial biofilm
Fig.1  A microbial biofilm
Fig.2  biofilms on nematode.
The tested bacteria included OP50, the wild-type (WT), and the (⊿) and (⊿) null mutants of microtus strain 201 (). Bacterial strains were transformed with the plasmid pBC-GFP expressing green fluorescent protein (). When the adult or L4 nematodes were placed on the bacterial lawns, biofilms adhered to the surface of nematode, primarily on the head to cover the mouth. ⊿ produced more extensive and denser biofilms than WT, and yet no biofilm was detectable in ⊿ (negative control) and OP50 (blank control).
Fig.2  biofilms on nematode.
The tested bacteria included OP50, the wild-type (WT), and the (⊿) and (⊿) null mutants of microtus strain 201 (). Bacterial strains were transformed with the plasmid pBC-GFP expressing green fluorescent protein (). When the adult or L4 nematodes were placed on the bacterial lawns, biofilms adhered to the surface of nematode, primarily on the head to cover the mouth. ⊿ produced more extensive and denser biofilms than WT, and yet no biofilm was detectable in ⊿ (negative control) and OP50 (blank control).
Gene IDGene nameFunctionReferences
Structural determinants
YPO1951-1954hmsHFRSBiosynthesis of biofilm matrixLorange et al., 2005
YPO3243gmhABiosynthesis of heptoseDarby et al., 2005
YPO3577yrbHBiosynthesis of KdoTan and Darby, 2006
YPO0055-0053waaAE-coaDTransfer of Kdo to LPSTan and Darby, 2006
Post-transcriptional regulation
YPO0425hmsTBiosynthesis of c-di-GMP biosynthesisKirillina et al., 2004; Simm et al., 2005
YPO3996hmsPDegradation of c-di-GMP degradationKirillina et al., 2004; Bobrov et al., 2005
YPO0929speABiosynthesis of polyaminesPatel et al., 2006; Wortham et al., 2010
YPO1201speC
YPO2632nghADegradation of biofilm matrixErickson et al., 2008
Transcriptional regulation
YPO2449rcsARcs phosphorelay systemSun et al., 2008
YPO1217rcsC
YPO1219-1218rcsDB
YPO1633-1634phoPQTwo component system PhoP/QSun et al., 2009
Tab.1  Functions involved in biofilm formation
Fig.3  Regulation of biofilm formation.
Lines with arrows indicate positive regulation, whereas those with a bar denote negative regulation. A cross indicates elimination of the corresponding regulation pathway.
Fig.3  Regulation of biofilm formation.
Lines with arrows indicate positive regulation, whereas those with a bar denote negative regulation. A cross indicates elimination of the corresponding regulation pathway.
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