Experimental evolution of Vibrio cholerae: Identification of genes involved in motility in presence of polymyxin B

Abstract

Vibrio cholerae is the bacteria responsible for the cholera disease and a natural inhabitant of aquatic environments. Biofilm formation is important for human colonization and environmental survival. Motility is essential for adhesion and biofilm formation by V. cholerae. In a previous study, we showed that motility and biofilm formation are altered in the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of polymyxin B in V. cholerae. In this study, we performed an experimental evolution to identify genes rescuing the motility in the presence of polymyxin B. Mutations in 5 genes have been identified: ihfA, vacJ (mlaA), mlaF, dacB and ccmH. The details of these mutations, their potential impact on the function of the proteins they encode and on the motility in presence of polymyxin B are discussed.