Cyclic di-GMP in Burkholderia spp.

Abstract

Burkholderia spp. survive in diverse ecological niches in association with soil, plants, and animals. In these environments, some members of the Burkholderia spp. participate in beneficial interactions that promote plant growth, nutrient cycling, and bioremediation; however, some Burkholderia spp. are also pathogens of plants, fungi, amoebae, insects, animals, and humans. In order to transition between niches and compete with other microbes, Burkholderia spp. have evolved sophisticated sensory systems to detect and respond to a variety of cues and signals from external stimuli that allow rapid response to changing environmental conditions. Cyclic di- GMP is a nearly universal bacterial second messenger and a key signaling molecule in Burkholderia spp. that regulates a variety of bacterial behaviors including virulence, motility, and biofilm formation. This chapter will review the progress toward understanding the sensory components and associated regulatory components that respond to environmental cues and correspondingly alter the intracellular levels of cyclic di-GMP. Recent reports indicate that various members of the Burkholderia spp. respond to alterations in temperature, nutrient availability, and population density (via Burkholderia diffusible signal factor) to control bacterial behaviors associated with pathogenesis, dissemination, and survival in the niches that Burkholderia spp. inhabit.