Characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutants with altered piliation

The pilus-specific Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteriophage P04 was used to select spontaneous mutants of strain PAK which have altered piliation. The largest class of phage-resistant mutants synthesized the pilin polypeptide, but did not assemble pili. These mutants are likely to contain mutations in genes required for pilus assembly and not mutations in the pilin structural gene, as they could not be complemented by a normal copy of the pilin gene. In addition, two alterations in pilin gene transcription were found among the mutants--hyperpiliated mutants which overproduce pilin mRNA, and a mutant with temperature-sensitive pilin gene transcription. We also present a model for the regulation of pilin gene transcription by a feedback mechanism sensitive to the relative rates of pilus assembly and disassembly.