BolA Is a Transcriptional Switch That Turns Off Motility and Turns On Biofilm Development

Abstract

Escherichia coli cells possess several mechanisms to cope with stresses. BolA has been described as a protein important for survival in late stages of bacterial growth and under harsh environmental conditions. BolA-like proteins are widely conserved from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. Although their exact function is not fully established at the molecular level, they seem to be involved in cell proliferation or cell cycle regulation. Here, we unraveled the role of BolA in biofilm development and bacterial motility. Our work suggests that BolA actively contributes to the decision of bacteria to arrest flagellar production and initiate the attachment to form structured communities, such as biofilms. The molecular studies of different lifestyles coupled with the comprehension of the BolA functions may be an important step for future perspectives, with health care and biotechnology applications.