Bacterial capsules: Occurrence, mechanism, and function.

In environments characterized by extended multi-stress conditions, pathogens develop a variety of immune escape mechanisms to enhance their ability to infect the host. The capsules, polymers that bacteria secrete near their cell wall, participates in numerous bacterial life processes and plays a crucial role in resisting host immune attacks and adapting to their niche. Here, we discuss the relationship between capsules and bacterial virulence, summarizing the molecular mechanisms of capsular regulation and pathogenesis to provide new insights into the research on the pathogenesis of pathogenic bacteria.

Capsule Promotes Intracellular Survival and Vascular Endothelial Cell Translocation during Invasive Pneumococcal Disease.

The polysaccharide capsule that surrounds Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) is one of its most important virulence determinants, serving to protect against phagocytosis. To date, 100 biochemical and antigenically distinct capsule types, i.e., serotypes, of Spn have been identified. Yet how capsule influences pneumococcal translocation across vascular endothelial cells (VEC), a key step in the progression of invasive disease, was unknown. Here, we show that despite capsule being inhibitory of Spn uptake by VEC, capsule enhances the escape rate of internalized pneumococci and thereby promotes translocation. Upon investigation, we determined that capsule protected Spn against intracellular killing by VEC and H2O2-mediated killing in vitro. Using a nitroblue tetrazolium reduction assay and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses, purified capsule was confirmed as having antioxidant properties which varied according to serotype. Using an 11-member panel of isogenic capsule-switch mutants, we determined that serotype affected levels of Spn resistance to H2O2-mediated killing in vitro, with killing resistance correlated positively with survival duration within VEC, rate of transcytosis to the basolateral surface, and human attack rates. Experiments with mice supported our in vitro findings, with Spn producing oxidative-stress-resistant type 4 capsule being more organ-invasive than that producing oxidative-stress-sensitive type 2 capsule during bacteremia. Capsule-mediated protection against intracellular killing was also observed for Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. We conclude that capsular polysaccharide plays an important role within VEC, serving as an intracellular antioxidant, and that serotype-dependent differences in antioxidant capabilities impact the efficiency of VEC translocation and a serotype's potential for invasive disease. IMPORTANCE Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) is the leading cause of invasive disease. Importantly, only a subset of the 100 capsule types carried by Spn cause the majority of serious infections, suggesting that the biochemical properties of capsular polysaccharide are directly tied to virulence. Here, we describe a new function for Spn's capsule-conferring resistance to oxidative stress. Moreover, we demonstrate that capsule promotes intracellular survival of pneumococci within vascular endothelial cells and thereby enhances bacterial translocation across the vasculature and into organs. Using isogenic capsule-switch mutants, we show that different capsule types, i.e., serotypes, vary in their resistance to oxidative stress-mediated killing and that resistance is positively correlated with intracellular survival in an in vitro model, organ invasion during bacteremia in vivo, and epidemiologically established pneumococcal attack rates in humans. Our findings define a new role of capsule and provide an explanation for why certain serotypes of Spn more frequently cause invasive pneumococcal disease.

Comparative genetic analyses provide clues about capsule switching in Streptococcus suis 2 strains with different virulence levels and genetic backgrounds.

Streptococcus suis (S. suis) is a major bacterial pathogen in the swine industry and an emerging zoonotic agent. S. suis produces an important extracellular component, capsular polysaccharide (CPS), based on which dozens of serotypes have been identified. Through virulence genotyping, we revealed the relatedness between subpopulations of S. suis serotype 2 (SS2), S. suis serotype 3 (SS3) and S. suis serotype 7 (SS7) strains despite their serotype differences. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to characterize the whole S. suis population and revealed capsule switching between S. suis strains. Importantly, capsule switching occurred in the SS2, SS3 and SS7 strains belonging to CC28 and CC29, which are phylogenetically distinct from the main CC1 SS2 lineage. To further explore capsule switching in S. suis, comparative genomic analyses were performed using available complete S. suis genomes. Phylogenetic analyses suggested that the SS2 strains could be divided into two clades (1 and 2), and those classified into clade 2 colocalized with SS3 and SS7 strains, in accordance with the above virulence genotyping and MLST analyses. Clade 2 SS2 strains presented high genetic similarity to SS3 and SS7 and shared common competence and defensive elements with them but were significantly different from Clade 1 SS2 strains. Notably, although the cps loci shared by Clade 1 and 2 SS2 strains were almost identical, a specific region of the cps locus of strain NSUI002 (Clade 2 SS2) could be found in the SS3 cps locus but not in the Clade 1 SS2 strain. These data indicated that the SS2 strains in CC28 and CC29 might have acquired the cps locus through capsule switching, which could explain the distinct genetic lineages within the SS2 population.

Surface architecture of Neisseria meningitidis capsule and outer membrane as revealed by atomic force microscopy.

An extensive morphological analysis of the Neisseria meningitidis cell envelope, including serogroup B capsule and outer membrane, based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) together with mechanical characterization by force spectroscopic measurements, has been carried out. Three meningococcal strains were used: the encapsulated serogroup B strain B1940, and the isogenic mutants B1940 siaD(+C) (lacking capsule), and B1940 cps (lacking both capsule and lipooligosaccharide outer core). AFM experiments with the encapsulated strain B1940 provided unprecedented images of the meningococcal capsule, which seems to be characterized by protrusions ("bumps") with the lateral dimensions of about 30 nm. Measurement of the Young's modulus provided quantitative assessment of the property of the capsule to confer resistance to mechanical stress. Moreover, Raman spectroscopy gave a fingerprint by which it was possible to identify the specific molecular species of the three strains analyzed, and to highlight major differences between them.

Haemophilus influenzae Prevalence, Proportion of Capsulated Strains and Antibiotic Susceptibility During Colonization and Acute Otitis Media in Children, 2019-2020.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, proportion of encapsulated strains and antibiotic susceptibility of Haemophilus influenzae isolated from young children. METHODS: Children, 6 months to 30 months old, were prospectively enrolled from September 2019 to September 2020 at Rochester, NY, pediatric clinics. H. influenzae isolates from nasopharynx (NP) at healthy visits and disease isolates from NP and middle ear fluid (MEF) at onset of acute otitis media (AOM) were characterized by capsular typing, ß-lactamase production and antibiotic susceptibility. RESULTS: Samples from 565 healthy visits and 130 AOM visits were collected. H. influenzae was detected 5.9% and 27% in the NP from healthy and AOM visits, respectively. In the MEF, H. influenzae was isolated in 43% of samples. Eight percent of H. influenzae isolates were encapsulated, 88% type f. Overall 39.7% of isolates were ß-lactamase producing; 43% for MEF isolates. Ampicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin and clarithromycin nonsusceptibility were found in more than 25% of isolates. None of the encapsulated H. influenzae isolates were positive for ß-lactamase production or ampicillin nonsusceptibility. 9.2% of isolates were ß-lactamase negative, ampicillin resistant (ß-lactamase negative, ampicillin resistant + ß-lactamase negative, ampicillin intermediate). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of H. influenzae in the NP of young children is very low at times of health, but H. influenzae is highly prevalent in MEF at onset of AOM. Nontypeable H. influenzae accounts for >90% of all H. influenzae isolates. Type f predominated among encapsulated strains. ß-lactamase production and antibiotic nonsusceptibility among H. influenzae strains isolated from the NP and MEF are common.

A systematic analysis of hypermucoviscosity and capsule reveals distinct and overlapping genes that impact Klebsiella pneumoniae fitness.

Hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (hvKp) is a distinct pathotype that causes invasive community-acquired infections in healthy individuals. Hypermucoviscosity (hmv) is a major phenotype associated with hvKp characterized by copious capsule production and poor sedimentation. Dissecting the individual functions of CPS production and hmv in hvKp has been hindered by the conflation of these two properties. Although hmv requires capsular polysaccharide (CPS) biosynthesis, other cellular factors may also be required and some fitness phenotypes ascribed to CPS may be distinctly attributed to hmv. To address this challenge, we systematically identified genes that impact capsule and hmv. We generated a condensed, ordered transposon library in hypervirulent strain KPPR1, then evaluated the CPS production and hmv phenotypes of the 3,733 transposon mutants, representing 72% of all open reading frames in the genome. We employed forward and reverse genetic screens to evaluate effects of novel and known genes on CPS biosynthesis and hmv. These screens expand our understanding of core genes that coordinate CPS biosynthesis and hmv, as well as identify central metabolism genes that distinctly impact CPS biosynthesis or hmv, specifically those related to purine metabolism, pyruvate metabolism and the TCA cycle. Six representative mutants, with varying effect on CPS biosynthesis and hmv, were evaluated for their impact on CPS thickness, serum resistance, host cell association, and fitness in a murine model of disseminating pneumonia. Altogether, these data demonstrate that hmv requires both CPS biosynthesis and other cellular factors, and that hmv and CPS may serve distinct functions during pathogenesis. The integration of hmv and CPS to the metabolic status of the cell suggests that hvKp may require certain nutrients to specifically cause deep tissue infections.

Zinc limitation in Klebsiella pneumoniae profiled by quantitative proteomics influences transcriptional regulation and cation transporter-associated capsule production.

BACKGROUND: Microbial organisms encounter a variety of environmental conditions, including changes to metal ion availability. Metal ions play an important role in many biological processes for growth and survival. As such, microbes alter their cellular protein levels and secretion patterns in adaptation to a changing environment. This study focuses on Klebsiella pneumoniae, an opportunistic bacterium responsible for nosocomial infections. By using K. pneumoniae, we aim to determine how a nutrient-limited environment (e.g., zinc depletion) modulates the cellular proteome and secretome of the bacterium. By testing virulence in vitro, we provide novel insight into bacterial responses to limited environments in the presence of the host. RESULTS: Analysis of intra- and extracellular changes identified 2380 proteins from the total cellular proteome (cell pellet) and 246 secreted proteins (supernatant). Specifically, HutC, a repressor of the histidine utilization operon, showed significantly increased abundance under zinc-replete conditions, which coincided with an expected reduction in expression of genes within the hut operon from our validating qRT-PCR analysis. Additionally, we characterized a putative cation transport regulator, ChaB that showed significantly higher abundance under zinc-replete vs. -limited conditions, suggesting a role in metal ion homeostasis. Phenotypic analysis of a chaB deletion strain demonstrated a reduction in capsule production, zinc-dependent growth and ion utilization, and reduced virulence when compared to the wild-type strain. CONCLUSIONS: This is first study to comprehensively profile the impact of zinc availability on the proteome and secretome of K. pneumoniae and uncover a novel connection between zinc transport and capsule production in the bacterial system.

Capsule carbohydrate structure determines virulence in Acinetobacter baumannii.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a highly antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogen for which novel therapeutic approaches are needed. Unfortunately, the drivers of virulence in A. baumannii remain uncertain. By comparing genomes among a panel of A. baumannii strains we identified a specific gene variation in the capsule locus that correlated with altered virulence. While less virulent strains possessed the intact gene gtr6, a hypervirulent clinical isolate contained a spontaneous transposon insertion in the same gene, resulting in the loss of a branchpoint in capsular carbohydrate structure. By constructing isogenic gtr6 mutants, we confirmed that gtr6-disrupted strains were protected from phagocytosis in vitro and displayed higher bacterial burden and lethality in vivo. Gtr6+ strains were phagocytized more readily and caused lower bacterial burden and no clinical illness in vivo. We found that the CR3 receptor mediated phagocytosis of gtr6+, but not gtr6-, strains in a complement-dependent manner. Furthermore, hypovirulent gtr6+ strains demonstrated increased virulence in vivo when CR3 function was abrogated. In summary, loss-of-function in a single capsule assembly gene dramatically altered virulence by inhibiting complement deposition and recognition by phagocytes across multiple A. baumannii strains. Thus, capsular structure can determine virulence among A. baumannii strains by altering bacterial interactions with host complement-mediated opsonophagocytosis.

Deep-Learning Resources for Studying Glycan-Mediated Host-Microbe Interactions.

Glycans, the most diverse biopolymer, are shaped by evolutionary pressures stemming from host-microbe interactions. Here, we present machine learning and bioinformatics methods to leverage the evolutionary information present in glycans to gain insights into how pathogens and commensals interact with hosts. By using techniques from natural language processing, we develop deep-learning models for glycans that are trained on a curated dataset of 19,299 unique glycans and can be used to study and predict glycan functions. We show that these models can be utilized to predict glycan immunogenicity and the pathogenicity of bacterial strains, as well as investigate glycan-mediated immune evasion via molecular mimicry. We also develop glycan-alignment methods and use these to analyze virulence-determining glycan motifs in the capsular polysaccharides of bacterial pathogens. These resources enable one to identify and study glycan motifs involved in immunogenicity, pathogenicity, molecular mimicry, and immune evasion, expanding our understanding of host-microbe interactions.

Inactivation of the htpsA gene affects capsule development and pathogenicity of Streptococcus suis.

STREPTOCOCCUS SUIS: serotype 2 (S. suis 2) is an important swine pathogen and also an emerging zoonotic agent. HtpsA has been reported as an immunogenic cell surface protein on the bacterium. In the present study, we constructed an isogenic mutant strain of htpsA, namely ΔhtpsA, to study its role in the development and virulence of S. suis 2. Our results showed that the mutant strain lost its typical encapsulated structure with decreased concentrations of sialic acid. Furthermore, the survival rate in whole blood, the anti-phagocytosis by RAW264.7 murine macrophage, and the adherence ability to HEp-2 cells were all significantly affected in the ΔhtpsA. In addition, the deletion of htpsA sharply attenuated the virulence of S. suis 2 in an infection model of mouse. RNA-seq analysis revealed that 126 genes were differentially expressed between the ΔhtpsA and the wild-type strains, including 28 upregulated and 98 downregulated genes. Among the downregulated genes, many were involved in carbohydrate metabolism and synthesis of virulence-associated factors. Taken together, htpsA was demonstrated to play a role in the morphological development and pathogenesis of the highly virulent S. suis 2 05ZYH33 strain.

A Transcriptional Regulatory Map of Iron Homeostasis Reveals a New Control Circuit for Capsule Formation in Cryptococcus neoformans.

Iron is essential for the growth of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans within the vertebrate host, and iron sensing contributes to the elaboration of key virulence factors, including the formation of the polysaccharide capsule. C. neoformans employs sophisticated iron acquisition and utilization systems governed by the transcription factors Cir1 and HapX. However, the details of the transcriptional regulatory networks that are governed by these transcription factors and connections to virulence remain to be defined. Here, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by next-generation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) to identify genes directly regulated by Cir1 and/or HapX in response to iron availability. Overall, 40 and 100 genes were directly regulated by Cir1, and 171 and 12 genes were directly regulated by HapX, under iron-limited and replete conditions, respectively. More specifically, we found that Cir1 directly controls the expression of genes required for iron acquisition and metabolism, and indirectly governs capsule formation by regulating specific protein kinases, a regulatory connection not previously revealed. HapX regulates the genes responsible for iron-dependent pathways, particularly under iron-depleted conditions. By analyzing target genes directly bound by Cir1 and HapX, we predicted the binding motifs for the transcription factors and verified that the purified proteins bind these motifs in vitro Furthermore, several direct target genes were coordinately and reciprocally regulated by Cir1 and HapX, suggesting that these transcription factors play conserved roles in the response to iron availability. In addition, biochemical analyses revealed that Cir1 and HapX are iron-containing proteins, implying that the regulatory networks of Cir1 and HapX may be influenced by the incorporation of iron into these proteins. Taken together, our identification of the genome-wide transcriptional networks provides a detailed understanding of the iron-related regulatory landscape, establishes a new connection between Cir1 and kinases that regulate capsule, and underpins genetic and biochemical analyses that reveal iron-sensing mechanisms for Cir1 and HapX in C. neoformans.

Virulence determinants of the emerging pathogen Kingella kingae.

Kingella kingae is a gram-negative coccobacillus that is a fastidious commensal organism in the oropharynx and is being recognized increasingly as a common cause of osteoarticular infections and other invasive diseases in young children. The pathogenesis of K. kingae disease begins with bacterial adherence to respiratory epithelium, followed by translocation across the epithelial barrier, survival in the bloodstream, and dissemination to distant sites, including bones, joints, and the endocardium, among others. Characterization of the determinants of K. kingae pathogenicity has revealed a novel model of adherence that involves the interplay of type IV pili, a non-pilus adhesin, and a polysaccharide capsule and a novel model of resistance to serum killing and neutrophil killing that involves complementary functions of a polysaccharide capsule and an exopolysaccharide. These models likely apply to other bacterial pathogens as well.

Anti-Cryptococcal activity of a furanone derivative-antibiofilm and opsonophagocytic potential.

Cryptococcus neoformans, an encapsulated fungal pathogen is evolving as a major threat to immune-compromised patients and rarely to healthy individuals also. The cell wall bound capsular polysaccharide, melanin pigment and biofilm formation are major virulence factors that are known to contribute to cryptococcal meningitis. In the present study, a furanone derivative, (E)-5-benzylidenedihydrofuran-2(3H)-one (compound-6) was evaluated against biofilm of seven different strains of C. neoformans in melanized and non-melanized condition. In addition, the efficacy of compound-6 in activation of TLR-2, opsonophagocytosis, and modulation of cytokine expression during phagocytosis were studied. During the biofilm study, we found that moderate capsule size favored biofilm formation. Interestingly, the minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC0.5) of melanized biofilm was found to be achieved at 1- to 1.7-fold higher MBEC0.5 of non-melanized cells. The maximum eradication of 77% and 69% of non-melanized and melanized biofilm were observed. The capsule size was reduced to half of its size with marked changes in morphology. Furthermore, expression of TLR2, iNOS and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-12, and IFN-γ were also facilitated by compound-6. The correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between phagocytosis and the expression of TLR-2, iNOS, IL-6, IL-12. Collectively, the significant effect of compound-6, anti-melanization activity, antibiofilmand effective immunomodulant could be an interesting dual strategy drug agonist against cryptococcal meningitis.

The role of RcsA in the adaptation and survival of Escherichia coli K92.

The Rcs phosphorelay is a two-component signal transduction system that senses stressful environmental signals such as desiccation or low temperatures, which serve as natural inducers in bacteria. RcsA is an important coregulator in this system involved in some functions regulated by the Rcs system, including biofilm formation and capsule synthesis. In this sense, we previously showed that RcsA is necessary for colanic acid synthesis in Escherichia coli K92. Here, using an E. coli K92ΔrcsA mutant lacking rcsA gene we further characterize the implications of RcsA on E. coli K92 survival under osmotic and oxidative stressful conditions, and bacterial attachment and biofilm formation on both biotic and abiotic surfaces. Our results show that RcsA protects E. coli K92 against osmotic and, especially, oxidative stress at low temperatures. In addition, RcsA did not interfere in biofilm formation in any surface tested, including polystyrene, stainless steel, silicone, Teflon, aluminum and glass. By contrast, deletion of rcsA increased bacterial attachment to the caco-2 cells monolayer used as biotic surface.

Pneumolysin and the bacterial capsule of Streptococcus pneumoniae cooperatively inhibit taxis and motility of microglia.

BACKGROUND: Streptococcus pneumoniae is the cause of a highly lethal form of meningitis in humans. Microglial cells in the brain represent the first line of defense against pathogens, and they participate in the inflammatory response. The cholesterol-dependent cytolysin pneumolysin and the bacterial capsule are key pathogenic factors, known to exacerbate the course of pneumococcal meningitis. METHODS: We utilized live imaging and immunostaining of glial cells in dissociated and acute brain slice cultures to study the effect of pneumococcal factors, including the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin pneumolysin and the pneumococcal capsule, on microglial motility and taxis. RESULTS: In brain tissue, primary microglia cells showed an enhanced response towards lysates from bacteria lacking capsules and pneumolysin as they moved rapidly to areas with an abundance of bacterial factors. The presence of bacterial capsules and pneumolysin cumulatively inhibited microglial taxis. In mixed cultures of astrocytes and microglia, the motility of microglia was inhibited by capsular components within minutes after exposure. The reduced motility was partially reversed by mannan, a mannose receptor inhibitor. The effects on microglia were not mediated by astrocytes because pure microglial cells responded to various pneumococcal lysates similarly with distinct cell shape changes as seen in mixed cultures. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that microglia possess the capacity for a very agile response towards bacterial pathogens, but key pathogenic factors, such as pneumococcal capsules and pneumolysin, inhibited this response shortly after a bacterial challenge. Furthermore, we demonstrate for the first time that the bacterial capsule affects cellular behaviors such as motility and taxis.

Tuberculosis vaccine candidates based on mycobacterial cell envelope components.

Even after decades searching for a new and more effective vaccine against tuberculosis, the scientific community is still pursuing this goal due to the complexity of its causative agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Mtb is a microorganism with a robust variety of survival mechanisms that allow it to remain in the host for years. The structure and nature of the Mtb envelope play a leading role in its resistance and survival. Mtb has a perfect machinery that allows it to modulate the immune response in its favor and to adapt to the host's environmental conditions in order to remain alive until the moment to reactivate its normal growing state. Mtb cell envelope protein, carbohydrate and lipid components have been the subject of interest for developing new vaccines because most of them are responsible for the pathogenicity and virulence of the bacteria. Many indirect evidences, mainly derived from the use of monoclonal antibodies, support the potential protective role of Mtb envelope components. Subunit and DNA vaccines, lipid extracts, liposomes and membrane vesicle formulations are some examples of technologies used, with encouraging results, to evaluate the potential of these antigens in the protective response against Mtb.

Streptococcus pneumoniae Capsular Polysaccharide.

The polysaccharide capsule of Streptococcus pneumoniae is the dominant surface structure of the organism and plays a critical role in virulence, principally by interfering with host opsonophagocytic clearance mechanisms. The capsule is the target of current pneumococcal vaccines, but there are 98 currently recognised polysaccharide serotypes and protection is strictly serotype-specific. Widespread use of these vaccines is driving changes in serotype prevalence in both carriage and disease. This chapter summarises current knowledge on the role of the capsule and its regulation in pathogenesis, the mechanisms of capsule synthesis, the genetic basis for serotype differences, and provides insights into how so many structurally distinct capsular serotypes have evolved. Such knowledge will inform ongoing refinement of pneumococcal vaccination strategies.

Repeated Phenotypic Evolution by Different Genetic Routes in Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25.

Repeated evolution of functionally similar phenotypes is observed throughout the tree of life. The extent to which the underlying genetics are conserved remains an area of considerable interest. Previously, we reported the evolution of colony switching in two independent lineages of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25. The phenotypic and genotypic bases of colony switching in the first lineage (Line 1) have been described elsewhere. Here, we deconstruct the evolution of colony switching in the second lineage (Line 6). We show that, as for Line 1, Line 6 colony switching results from an increase in the expression of a colanic acid-like polymer (CAP). At the genetic level, nine mutations occur in Line 6. Only one of these-a nonsynonymous point mutation in the housekeeping sigma factor rpoD-is required for colony switching. In contrast, the genetic basis of colony switching in Line 1 is a mutation in the metabolic gene carB. A molecular model has recently been proposed whereby the carB mutation increases capsulation by redressing the intracellular balance of positive (ribosomes) and negative (RsmAE/CsrA) regulators of a positive feedback loop in capsule expression. We show that Line 6 colony switching is consistent with this model; the rpoD mutation generates an increase in ribosomal gene expression, and ultimately an increase in CAP expression.

Ribosome Provisioning Activates a Bistable Switch Coupled to Fast Exit from Stationary Phase.

Observations of bacteria at the single-cell level have revealed many instances of phenotypic heterogeneity within otherwise clonal populations, but the selective causes, molecular bases, and broader ecological relevance remain poorly understood. In an earlier experiment in which the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 was propagated under a selective regime that mimicked the host immune response, a genotype evolved that stochastically switched between capsulation states. The genetic cause was a mutation in carB that decreased the pyrimidine pool (and growth rate), lowering the activation threshold of a preexisting but hitherto unrecognized phenotypic switch. Genetic components surrounding bifurcation of UTP flux toward DNA/RNA or UDP-glucose (a precursor of colanic acid forming the capsules) were implicated as key components. Extending these molecular analyses-and based on a combination of genetics, transcriptomics, biochemistry, and mathematical modeling-we show that pyrimidine limitation triggers an increase in ribosome biosynthesis and that switching is caused by competition between ribosomes and CsrA/RsmA proteins for the mRNA transcript of a positively autoregulated activator of colanic acid biosynthesis. We additionally show that in the ancestral bacterium the switch is part of a program that determines stochastic entry into a semiquiescent capsulated state, ensures that such cells are provisioned with excess ribosomes, and enables provisioned cells to exit rapidly from stationary phase under permissive conditions.