Elevated level of the second messenger c-di-GMP in Comamonas testosteroni enhances biofilm formation and biofilm-based biodegradation of 3-chloroaniline

Yichao Wu, Yuanzhao Ding, Yehuda Cohen, Bin Cao*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

43 Scopus citations

Abstract

The bis-(3′-5′)-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) is a ubiquitous second messenger that determines bacterial lifestyle between the planktonic and biofilm modes of life. Although the role of c-di-GMP signaling in biofilm development and dispersal has been extensively studied, how c-di-GMP signaling influences environmental bioprocess activities such as biodegradation remains unexplored. To elucidate the impacts of elevating c-di-GMP level on environmental bioprocesses, we constructed a Comamonas testosteroni strain constitutively expressing a c-di-GMP synthase YedQ from Escherichia coli and examined its capability in biofilm formation and biodegradation of 3-chloroaniline (3-CA). The high c-di-GMP strain exhibited an increased binding to Congo red dye, a decreased motility, and an enhanced biofilm formation capability. In planktonic cultures, the strain with an elevated c-di-GMP concentration and the wild type could degrade 3-CA comparably well. However, under batch growth conditions with a high surface to volume ratio, an elevated c-di-GMP concentration in C. testosteroni significantly increased the contribution of biofilms in 3-CA biodegradation. In continuous submerged biofilm reactors, C. testosteroni with an elevated c-di-GMP level exhibited an enhanced 3-CA biodegradation and a decreased cell detachment rate. Taken together, this study provides a novel strategy to enhance biofilm-based biodegradation of toxic xenobiotic compounds through manipulating bacterial c-di-GMP signaling.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1967-1976
Number of pages10
JournalApplied Microbiology and Biotechnology
Volume99
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2015
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2014, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Keywords

  • Biodegradation
  • Biofilm
  • c-di-GMP
  • Xenobiotic compound

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Elevated level of the second messenger c-di-GMP in Comamonas testosteroni enhances biofilm formation and biofilm-based biodegradation of 3-chloroaniline'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this