AUTHOR=Zhang Miaomiao , Xue Xingfan , Li Xue , Wu Qimin , Zhang Tingting , Yang Wenhui , Hu Lingfei , Zhou Dongsheng , Lu Renfei , Zhang Yiquan 

TITLE=QsvR and OpaR coordinately repress biofilm formation by Vibrio parahaemolyticus

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1079653

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1079653

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Mature biofilm formation by <italic>Vibrio parahaemolyticus</italic> requires exopolysaccharide (EPS), type IV pili, and capsular polysaccharide (CPS). Production of each is strictly regulated by various control pathways including quorum sensing (QS) and bis-(3′–5′)-cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP). QsvR, an AraC-type regulator, integrates into the QS regulatory cascade <italic>via</italic> direct control of the transcription of the master QS regulators, AphA and OpaR. Deletion of <italic>qsvR</italic> in wild-type or <italic>opaR</italic> mutant backgrounds altered the biofilm formation by <italic>V. parahaemolyticus</italic>, suggesting that QsvR may coordinate with OpaR to control biofilm formation. Herein, we demonstrated both QsvR and OpaR repressed biofilm-associated phenotypes, c-di-GMP metabolism, and the formation of <italic>V. parahaemolyticus</italic> translucent (TR) colonies. QsvR restored the biofilm-associated phenotypic changes caused by <italic>opaR</italic> mutation, and vice versa. In addition, QsvR and OpaR worked coordinately to regulate the transcription of EPS-associated genes, type IV pili genes, CPS genes and c-di-GMP metabolism-related genes. These results demonstrated how QsvR works with the QS system to regulate biofilm formation by precisely controlling the transcription of multiple biofilm formation-associated genes in <italic>V. parahaemolyticus</italic>.</p>