Nitrate sensing and metabolism modulate motility, biofilm formation, and virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Infection by the bacterial opportunist Pseudomonas aeruginosa frequently assumes the form of a biofilm, requiring motility for biofilm formation and dispersal and an ability to grow in nutrient- and oxygen-limited environments. Anaerobic growth by P. aeruginosa is accomplished through the denitrification enzyme pathway that catalyzes the sequential reduction of nitrate to nitrogen gas. Mutants mutated in the two-component nitrate sensor-response regulator and in membrane nitrate reductase displayed altered motility and biofilm formation compared to wild-type P. aeruginosa PAO1. Analysis of additional nitrate dissimilation mutants demonstrated a second level of regulation in P. aeruginosa motility that is independent of nitrate sensor-response regulator function and is associated with nitric oxide production. Because motility and biofilm formation are important for P. aeruginosa pathogenicity, we examined the virulence of selected regulatory and structural gene mutants in the surrogate model host Caenorhabditis elegans. Interestingly, the membrane nitrate reductase mutant was avirulent in C. elegans, while nitrate sensor-response regulator mutants were fully virulent. The data demonstrate that nitrate sensing, response regulation, and metabolism are linked directly to factors important in P. aeruginosa pathogenesis.