{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,27]],"date-time":"2026-10-27T19:38:48Z","timestamp":1793129928867,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":68,"publisher":"American Society for Microbiology","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]],"date-time":"2026-10-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791936000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]],"date-time":"2026-10-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791936000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/non-commercial-tdm-license"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000002","name":"National Institutes of Health","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["R35GM137886"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["R35GM137886"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000002","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000936","name":"Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["GBMF9328"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GBMF9328"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000936","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100011106","name":"Graduate School, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["Dissertation Completion Fellowship"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Dissertation Completion Fellowship"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100011106","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100009559","name":"Life Sciences Research Foundation","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["Postdoctoral Fellowship"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Postdoctoral Fellowship"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100009559","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.asm.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["mBio"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title\/>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Bacteria employ antagonistic strategies to eliminate competitors of an ecological niche. Contact-dependent mechanisms, such as the type VI secretion system (T6SS), are prevalent in host-associated bacteria, yet we know relatively little about how T6SS+ strains make contact with competitors in highly viscous environments, such as host mucus. To better understand how cells respond to and contact one another in such environments, we performed a genome-wide transposon mutant screen of the T6SS-wielding beneficial bacterial symbiont,\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">Vibrio fischeri<\/jats:italic>\n                      MJ11, and identified two sets of genes that are conditionally required for killing. We found that surface modification and flagellar-associated genes do not affect T6SS directly and are therefore not required for interbacterial killing when cell contact is forced, yet are necessary for killing in high-viscosity liquid (hydrogel), where cell-cell contact must be biologically mediated. Quantitative transcriptomics revealed that\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">V. fischeri<\/jats:italic>\n                      significantly increases expression of both T6SS genes and cell surface modification factors upon transition from low- to high-viscosity media. Consistent with coincubation and fluorescence microscopy data, flagella are not required for T6SS expression in hydrogel. However, flagella were necessary to enhance expression of ~50% of the genome in hydrogel, including the surface modification genes identified in our screen and functional pathways important for host colonization, such as uptake of host-relevant iron and carbon sources, and nitric oxide detoxification enzymes. Our findings suggest that flagella play a key role when\n                      <jats:italic toggle=\"yes\">V. fischeri<\/jats:italic>\n                      cells coordinately activate competitive strategies and host colonization factors, underscoring the significance of the physical environment in directing complex bacterial behaviors.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                    <jats:sec>\n                      <jats:title>IMPORTANCE<\/jats:title>\n                      <jats:p>The physical environment has dramatic effects on bacterial behavior, but little is known about how mechanical signals impact antagonistic interactions. Symbiotic bacteria use molecular weapons to eliminate competitors for limited space within highly viscous host tissue and mucus. Previously, we found that a putative lipoprotein adhesin, TasL, and an unknown ligand are required to bring competitor cells within range of the T6SS weapon. Here, we found that mutations in flagella or predicted surface modification genes prevent TasL-mediated adhesion and killing in high viscosity. Transcriptomics revealed the flagella are required to coordinate expression of host colonization factors with the T6SS interbacterial weapon when transitioning from lower to higher viscosity conditions. These findings suggest that flagella may play a role in sensing mechanical signals, such as environmental viscosity, to enhance a symbiont\u2019s ability to successfully colonize the host while efficiently eliminating potential competitors from the host niche.<\/jats:p>\n                    <\/jats:sec>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1128\/mbio.03970-24","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T13:02:11Z","timestamp":1787835731000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1128\/asmj-crossmark-policy-page","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Flagella are required to activate expression of aggregation factors necessary for T6SS-mediated competition in host-like conditions"],"prefix":"10.1128","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0249-4791","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Lauren","family":"Speare","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/01zkghx44","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology","place":["Atlanta, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Liang","family":"Zhao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/0130frc33","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Earth, Marine & Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina","place":["Chapel Hill, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-8516-665X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Morgan N.","family":"Pavelsky","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/0130frc33","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Earth, Marine & Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina","place":["Chapel Hill, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aundre","family":"Jackson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/0130frc33","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Earth, Marine & Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina","place":["Chapel Hill, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3709-4464","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Steph","family":"Smith","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/0130frc33","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Earth, Marine & Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina","place":["Chapel Hill, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bhavyaa","family":"Tyagi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/0130frc33","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Earth, Marine & Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina","place":["Chapel Hill, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Garrett C.","family":"Sharpe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/0130frc33","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Earth, Marine & Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina","place":["Chapel Hill, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Madison","family":"Woo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/0130frc33","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Earth, Marine & Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina","place":["Chapel Hill, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3222-9681","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Scott M.","family":"Gifford","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/0130frc33","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Earth, Marine & Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina","place":["Chapel Hill, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9309-2930","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Alecia N.","family":"Septer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/0130frc33","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"Department of Earth, Marine & Environmental Sciences, University of North Carolina","place":["Chapel Hill, USA"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"235","reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_4_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cub.2019.04.024"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tim.2020.01.003"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2164-10-104"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2022.988044"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1808302115"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1720133115"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.aat2456"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chom.2017.12.006"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_10_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/1462-2920.15123"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_11_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/spectrum.01093-23"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/mbio.03085-21"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/mBio.03060-19"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_14_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/mSphere.01288-20"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/spectrum.01397-22"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nature07660"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_17_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/AEM.02643-10"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_18_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1074\/jbc.M111.239475"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_19_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1074\/jbc.M111.324012"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_20_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fbrio.2023.1254305"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_21_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2013.00410"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_22_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41579-019-0314-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_23_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1462-2920.2010.02250.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_24_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/ismej.2010.141"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_25_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/mBio.01279-16"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_26_2","first-page":"1553","volume-title":"Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium: cellular and molecular biology","author":"Neidhart FC","year":"1996","unstructured":"Neidhart FC, Curtiss R. 1996. Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium: cellular and molecular biology, p 1553\u20131569. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC."},{"key":"e_1_3_4_27_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1188308"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_28_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/mmi.14474"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_29_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/JB.185.12.3547-3557.2003"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_30_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1139\/w11-107"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_31_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/AEM.00377-12"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_32_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/mbo3.96"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_33_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4757-5983-9_58"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_34_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2958.2011.07858.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_35_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.95.4.1818"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_36_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1462-2920.2011.02558.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_37_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2958.2000.01984.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_38_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/mmi.14509"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_39_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1003571107"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_40_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-12-394423-8.00002-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_41_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/JB.00797-17"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_42_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbabio.2022.148929"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_43_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2958.2010.07194.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_44_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/IAI.00334-19"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_45_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/ja055183+"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_46_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/mmi.13356"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_47_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2958.2010.07376.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_48_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/JB.00777-19"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_49_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/JB.00205-18"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_50_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s12275-015-0099-6"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_51_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms8050622"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_52_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/IAI.03071-14"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_53_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1305885110"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_54_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-017-05521-8"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_55_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tim.2014.05.002"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_56_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/jb.167.1.210-218.1986"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_57_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2958.1996.tb02509.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_58_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2958.2010.07445.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_59_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0061086"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_60_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/AEM.01669-09"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_61_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3791\/59759"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_62_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/JB.00399-21"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_63_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12859-023-05311-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_64_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/bioinformatics\/btab007"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_65_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/bioinformatics\/btu170"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_66_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/gb-2009-10-3-r25"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_67_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/bioinformatics\/btu638"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_68_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/mBio.02034-21"},{"key":"e_1_3_4_69_2","unstructured":"Oksanen J Simpson GL Blanchet FG Kindt R Legendre P Minchin PR O\u2019Hara RB Solymos P Stevens MHH Szoecs E. 2013. Vegan: community ecology package. R Package Version. 2.0-10. CRAN."}],"container-title":["mBio"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1128\/mbio.03970-24","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1128\/mbio.03970-24","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,27]],"date-time":"2026-10-27T19:25:23Z","timestamp":1793129123000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.asm.org\/doi\/10.1128\/mbio.03970-24"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Daniel B.","family":"Kearns","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]]},"references-count":68,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1128\/mbio.03970-24"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1128\/mbio.03970-24","relation":{},"ISSN":["2150-7511"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2150-7511","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-01-08","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-07-07","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-08-27","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"e03970-24"}}