Organismal Biological Physiology Commons^™

A Messenger Molecule Governs Interdependency In An Evolved Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Biofilm Community, Thomas Macelliott Johnson

Honors Theses and Capstones

Biofilm populations are known to harbor great diversity, but the importance of this diversity is not fully understood. A likely contributor to this variation is the second messenger molecule cyclic-di-GMP: low levels associate with a planktonic lifestyle while high levels favor biofilm formation. In ongoing studies of an evolving biofilm population of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), we observed extensive ecological diversification that may relate to this lifestyle switch. In PA, the gene bifA encodes a phosphodiesterase that is known to degrade cyclic-di-GMP and reduce biofilm. This gene was cloned onto a plasmid under control of an inducible promoter and the plasmid …