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Vibrio parahaemolyticus ScrC Modulates Cyclic Dimeric GMP Regulation of Gene Expression Relevant to Growth on Surfaces

Department of Microbiology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242,¹ Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195²

Received 10 September 2007/ Accepted 26 October 2007

In Vibrio parahaemolyticus, scrC participates in controlling the decision to be a highly mobile swarmer cell or a more adhesive, biofilm-proficient cell type. scrC mutants display decreased swarming motility over surfaces and enhanced capsular polysaccharide production. ScrC is a cytoplasmic membrane protein that contains both GGDEF and EAL conserved protein domains. These domains have been shown in many organisms to respectively control the formation and degradation of the small signaling nucleotide cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP). The scrC gene is part of the three-gene scrABC operon. Here we report that this operon influences the cellular nucleotide pool and that c-di-GMP levels inversely modulate lateral flagellar and capsular polysaccharide gene expression. High concentrations of this nucleotide prevent swarming and promote adhesiveness. Further, we demonstrate that ScrC has intrinsic diguanylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase activities, and these activities are controlled by ScrAB. Specifically, ScrC acts to form c-di-GMP in the absence of ScrA and ScrB; whereas ScrC acts to degrade c-di-GMP in the presence of ScrA and ScrB. The scrABC operon is specifically induced by growth on a surface, and the analysis of mutant phenotypes supports a model in which the phosphodiesterase activity of ScrC plays a dominant role during surface translocation and in biofilms.

Published ahead of print on 9 November 2007.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Yildiz, F. H. (2008). Cyclic Dimeric GMP Signaling and Regulation of Surface-Associated Developmental Programs. J. Bacteriol. 190: 781-783 [Full Text]