Dispersion is a process by which bacteria transit from a biofilm to a motile growth state to colonize new sites. Alterations in c-di-GMP levels were shown to be associated with biofilm dispersal in a number of different bacteria including the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The signaling molecule nitric oxide (NO) is one factor known to induce biofilm dispersion through stimulation of c-di-GMP degrading phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity.

The project aims at understanding the role of the membrane-anchored PDE NbdA in this process, its transcriptional regulation and interaction with other players in the dispersion network.