Redox control and mechanisms of transmembrane signaling in CSS domain c-di-GMP phosphodiesterases that control biofilm formation in Escherichia coli.

Five CSS domain c-di-GMP phosphodiesterases in Escherichia coli exhibit two distinct biochemical classes with opposite effects on enzyme activity and biofilm formation.

• Why it matters: Understanding how transmembrane signaling proteins respond to environmental cues is crucial for grasping bacterial adaptation mechanisms, yet the molecular details of these processes remain unclear.
• What they did: The study systematically compared five CSS domain PDEs in E. coli, analyzing their redox states, structural motifs, and activity, focusing on PdeB and PdeN as prototypes.
• The result: Findings reveal that redox-regulated conformational states of these PDEs modulate biofilm formation, with structural elements and environmental pH influencing enzyme activity and bacterial adaptation.