Description:

A fundamental decision faced by bacteria is to exist in a free-swimming planktonic state or sessile multi-cellular communities known as biofilms. The second messenger cyclic di-GMP is the key regulatory molecule controlling this decision in the vast majority of bacteria. I will discuss our efforts using the bacterial pathogen Vibrio cholerae to understand how the environment influences cyclic di-GMP and the molecular mechanisms by which this signal regulates downstream behaviors. I will also present our efforts targeting this pathway and others to develop novel approaches to treat biofilm-based infections.

Christopher Waters, PhD

Michigan State University

Host: Dr. Mark Mandel