Bacterial second messenger c-di-GMP: Emerging functions in stress resistance

In natural environments, bacteria constantly encounter various stressful conditions, including nutrient starva-tion, toxic chemicals, and oxidative stress. The ability to adapt to these adverse conditions is crucial for bacterial survival. Frequently, bacteria utilize nucleotide signaling molecules such as cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) to regulate their behaviors when encounter stress conditions. c-di-GMP is a ubiquitous bacterial second messenger regulating the transition between the planktonic state and biofilm state. An essential feature of biofilms is the production of extracellular matrix that covers bacterial cells and offers a physical barrier protecting the cells from environmental assaults. Beyond that, accumulating evidences have demonstrated that changes in the environ-ment, including stress stimuli, cause the alteration of intracellular levels of c-di-GMP in bacterial cells, which is immediately sensed by a variety of downstream effectors that induce an appropriate stress response. In this review, we summarize recent research on the role of c-di-GMP signaling in bacterial responses to diverse stress conditions.

Automated summary

In natural environments, bacteria rely on the nucleotide signaling molecule c-di-GMP to regulate their behaviors and adapt to stressful conditions. c-di-GMP acts as a second messenger that triggers a stress response in bacterial cells. The production of extracellular matrix in biofilms provides a physical barrier for bacterial cells, protecting them from environmental assaults. This review summarizes recent research on the role of c-di-GMP signaling in bacterial stress responses.