c-di-GMP-mediated pause behavior enables <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> navigation in porous environments

exhibits a distinct "pause" motility mode when encountering pore confinement, characterized by repeated reorientation events that facilitate escape. Remarkably, this behavior persists even after bacteria are returned to liquid, indicating a physiological memory triggered by the environment. We demonstrate that this adaptive response is regulated by the second messenger c-di-GMP and its effector FlgZ. Our findings uncover a direct link between mechanical environmental sensing and the molecular regulation of bacterial motility, providing new insights into how pathogens adapt to and persist in clinically and environmentally relevant porous habitats.