Cyclic Diguanylate in the Wild: Roles During Plant and Animal Colonization

Abstract

Cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) is a near-ubiquitous signaling molecule that regulates the motility-to-sessility transition in many bacterial species. Among the phenotypes influenced by c-di-GMP are biofilm formation, motility, cell cycle, and virulence. The hallmark phenotypes regulated by c-di-GMP—biofilm formation and motility—are key determinants of host–bacterial interactions. A large body of research has identified the roles of c-di-GMP in regulating phenotypes in culture. While numerous studies have investigated roles for c-di-GMP during the establishment and maintenance of pathogenic host–bacterial associations, considerably less attention has been devoted to defining the roles of c-di-GMP during beneficial and commensal associations. This review describes the known roles of c-di-GMP in regulating phenotypes that contribute to host colonization, with a focus on knowledge gaps and future prospects for examining c-di-GMP during beneficial colonization.