Accessing nutrients as the primary benefit arising from chemotaxis

Bacterial amino acid chemotaxis: a widespread strategy with multiple physiological and ecological roles

Chemotaxis is the directed, flagellum-based movement of bacteria in chemoeffector gradients. Bacteria respond chemotactically to a wide range of chemoeffectors, including amino, organic, and fatty acids, sugars, polyamines, quaternary amines, purines, pyrimidines, aromatic hydrocarbons, oxygen, inorganic ions, or polysaccharides. Most frequent are chemotactic responses to amino acids (AAs), which were observed in numerous bacteria regardless of their phylogeny and lifestyle. Mostly chemoattraction responses are observed, although a number of bacteria are repelled from certain AAs. Chemoattraction is associated with the important metabolic value of AAs as growth substrates or building blocks of proteins. However, additional studies revealed that AAs are also sensed as environmental cues. Many chemoreceptors are specific for AAs, and signaling is typically initiated by direct ligand binding to their four-helix bundle or dCache ligand-binding domains. Frequently, bacteria possess multiple AA-responsive chemoreceptors that at times possess complementary AA ligand spectra. The identification of sequence motifs in the binding sites at dCache_1 domains has permitted to define an AA-specific family of dCache_1AA chemoreceptors. In addition, AAs are among the ligands recognized by broad ligand range chemoreceptors, and evidence was obtained for chemoreceptor activation by the binding of AA-loaded solute-binding proteins. The biological significance of AA chemotaxis is very ample including in biofilm formation, root and seed colonization by beneficial bacteria, plant entry of phytopathogens, colonization of the intestine, or different virulence-related features in human/animal pathogens. This review provides insights that may be helpful for the study of AA chemotaxis in other uncharacterized bacteria.

Differential CheR Affinity for Chemoreceptor C-Terminal Pentapeptides Modulates Chemotactic Responses

Many chemoreceptors contain a C-terminal pentapeptide at the end of a linker. In Escherichia coli, this pentapeptide forms a high-affinity binding site for CheR and phosphorylated CheB, and its removal interferes with chemoreceptor adaptation. Analysis of chemoreceptors revealed significant variation in their pentapeptide sequences, and bacteria often possess multiple chemoreceptors with differing pentapeptides. To assess whether this sequence variation alters CheR affinity and chemotaxis, we used Pectobacterium atrosepticum SCRI1043 as a model. SCRI1043 has 36 chemoreceptors, with 19 of them containing a C-terminal pentapeptide. We show that the affinity of CheR for the different pentapeptides varies up to 11-fold (KD 90 nM to 1 μM). Pentapeptides with the highest and lowest affinities differ only in a single amino acid. Deletion of the cheR gene abolishes chemotaxis. The replacement of the pentapeptide in the PacC chemoreceptor with those of the highest and lowest affinities significantly reduced chemotaxis to its cognate chemoeffector, L-Asp. Altering the PacC pentapeptide also reduced chemotaxis to L-Ser, but not to nitrate, which are responses mediated by the nontethered PacB and PacN chemoreceptors, respectively. Changes in the pentapeptide sequence thus modulate the response of the cognate receptor and that of another chemoreceptor.

Exploring solute binding proteins in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that bind to γ-aminobutyrate and 5-aminovalerate and their role in activating sensor kinases

The standard method of receptor activation involves the binding of signals or signal-loaded solute binding proteins (SBPs) to sensor domains. Many sensor histidine kinases (SHKs), which are activated by SBP binding, are encoded adjacent to their corresponding sbp gene. We examined three SBPs of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, encoded near the genes for the AgtS (PA0600) and AruS (PA4982) SHKs, to determine how common this arrangement is. Ligand screening and microcalorimetric studies revealed that the SBPs PA0602 and PA4985 preferentially bind to GABA (KD = 2.3 and 0.58 μM, respectively), followed by 5-aminovalerate (KD = 30 and 1.6 μM, respectively) and ethanoldiamine (KD = 2.3 and 0.58 μM, respectively). In contrast, AgtB (PA0604) exclusively recognizes 5-aminovaleric acid (KD = 2.9 μM). However, microcalorimetric titrations did not show any binding between the AgtS sensor domain and AgtB or PA0602, regardless of the presence of ligands. Similarly, bacterial two-hybrid assays did not demonstrate an interaction between PA4985 and the AruS sensor domain. Therefore, sbp and shk genes located nearby are not always functionally linked. We previously identified PA0222 as a GABA-specific SBP. The presence of three SBPs for GABA may be linked to GABA's role as a trigger for P. aeruginosa virulence.

Bacterial sensor evolved by decreasing complexity

Bacterial receptors feed into multiple signal transduction pathways that regulate a variety of cellular processes including gene expression, second messenger levels and motility. Receptors are typically activated by signal binding to ligand binding domains (LBD). Cache domains are omnipresent LBDs found in bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes, including humans. They form the predominant family of extracytosolic bacterial LBDs and were identified in all major receptor types. Cache domains are composed of either a single (sCache) or a double (dCache) structural module. The functional relevance of bimodular LBDs remains poorly understood. Here, we identify the PacF chemoreceptor in the phytopathogen Pectobacterium atrosepticum that recognizes formate at the membrane distal module of its dCache domain, triggering chemoattraction. We further demonstrate that a family of formate-specific sCache domains has evolved from a dCache domain, exemplified by PacF, by losing the membrane proximal module. By solving high-resolution structures of two family members in complex with formate, we show that the molecular basis for formate binding at sCache and dCache domains is highly similar, despite their low sequence identity. The apparent loss of the membrane proximal module may be related to the observation that dCache domains bind ligands typically at the membrane distal module, whereas the membrane proximal module is not involved in signal sensing. This work advances our understanding of signal sensing in bacterial receptors and suggests that evolution by reducing complexity may be a common trend shaping their diversity.

Significance

Many bacterial receptors contain multi-modular sensing domains indicative of complex sensory processes. The presence of more than one sensing module likely permits the integration of multiple signals, although, the molecular detail and functional relevance for these complex sensors remain poorly understood. Bimodular sensory domains are likely to have arisen from the fusion or duplication of monomodular domains. Evolution by increasing complexity is generally believed to be a dominant force. Here we reveal the opposite - how a monomodular sensing domain has evolved from a bimodular one. Our findings will thus motivate research to establish whether evolution by decreasing complexity is typical of other sensory domains.

Identification of a dCache-type chemoreceptor in Campylobacter jejuni that specifically mediates chemotaxis towards methyl pyruvate

The foodborne pathogenic bacterium Campylobacter jejuni utilizes chemotaxis to assist in the colonization of host niches. A key to revealing the relationship among chemotaxis and pathogenicity is the discovery of signaling molecules perceived by the chemoreceptors. The C. jejuni chemoreceptor Tlp11 is encoded by the highly infective C. jejuni strains. In the present study, we report that the dCache-type ligand-binding domain (LBD) of C. jejuni ATCC 33560 Tlp11 binds directly to novel ligands methyl pyruvate, toluene, and quinoline using the same pocket. Methyl pyruvate elicits a strong chemoattractant response, while toluene and quinoline function as the antagonists without triggering chemotaxis. The sensory LBD was used to control heterologous proteins by constructing chimeras, indicating that the signal induced by methyl pyruvate is transmitted across the membrane. In addition, bioinformatics and experiments revealed that the dCache domains with methyl pyruvate-binding sites and ability are widely distributed in the order Campylobacterales. This is the first report to identify the class of dCache chemoreceptors that bind to attractant methyl pyruvate and antagonists toluene and quinoline. Our research provides a foundation for understanding the chemotaxis and virulence of C. jejuni and lays a basis for the control of this foodborne pathogen.

Helicobacter pylori cheV1 mutants recover semisolid agar migration due to loss of a previously uncharacterized Type IV filament membrane alignment complex homolog

The bacterial chemotaxis system is a well-understood signaling pathway that promotes bacterial success. Chemotaxis systems comprise chemoreceptors and the CheA kinase, linked by CheW or CheV scaffold proteins. Scaffold proteins provide connections between chemoreceptors and CheA and also between chemoreceptors to create macromolecular arrays. Chemotaxis is required for host colonization by many microbes, including the stomach pathogen Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium builds chemoreceptor-CheA contacts with two distinct scaffold proteins, CheW and CheV1. H. pylori cheW or cheV1 deletion mutants both lose chemoreceptor array formation, but show differing semisolid agar chemotaxis assay behaviors: ∆cheW mutants exhibit total migration failure, whereas ∆cheV1::cat mutants display a 50% reduction. On investigating these varied responses, we found that both mutants initially struggle with migration. However, over time, ∆cheV1::cat mutants develop a stable, enhanced migration capability, termed "migration-able" (Mig+). Whole-genome sequencing analysis of four distinct ∆cheV1::cat Mig+ strains identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in hpg27_252 (hp0273) that were predicted to truncate the encoded protein. Computational analysis of the hpg27_252-encoded protein revealed it encoded a hypothetical protein that was a remote homolog of the PilO Type IV filament membrane alignment complex protein. Although H. pylori lacks Type IV filaments, our analysis showed it retains an operon of genes for homologs of PilO, PilN, and PilM. Deleting hpg27_252 in the ∆cheV1::cat or wild type strain resulted in enhanced migration in semisolid agar. Our study thus reveals that while cheV1 mutants initially have significant migration defects, they can recover the migration ability through genetic suppressors, highlighting a complex regulatory mechanism in bacterial migration.

IMPORTANCE

Chemotactic motility, present in over half of bacteria, depends on chemotaxis signaling systems comprising receptors, kinases, and scaffold proteins. In Helicobacter pylori, a stomach pathogen, chemotaxis is crucial for colonization, with CheV1 and CheW as key scaffold proteins. While both scaffolds are essential for building chemoreceptor complexes, their roles vary in other assays. Our research reexamines cheV1 mutants' behavior in semisolid agar, a standard chemotaxis test. Initially, cheV1 mutants exhibited defects similar to those of cheW mutants, but they evolved genetic suppressors that enhanced migration. These suppressors involve mutations in a previously uncharacterized gene, unknown in motility behavior. Our findings highlight the significant chemotaxis defects in cheV1 mutants and identify new elements influencing bacterial motility.

Navigating contradictions: Salmonella Typhimurium chemotactic responses to conflicting chemoeffector signals show parity with bacterial growth benefits

Many bacteria that colonize the guts of animals use chemotaxis to direct swimming motility and select sites for colonization based on sources of effectors derived from the host, diet, and microbial competitors of the local environ. The complex ecosystem of the gastrointestinal tract contains mixtures of chemoattractants and chemorepellents, but it remains poorly understood how swimming bacteria navigate conflicting signals. The enteric pathogen Salmonella Typhimurium possesses Tsr, a chemoreceptor protein that directs both chemoattraction and chemorepulsion responses, which we employed as a model to study chemotaxis in the presence of conflicting effector stimuli. We investigated how S. Typhimurium responds to human fecal matter, an effector source in the enteric lumen that contains high concentrations of indole, a bacteriostatic chemorepellent produced by the native commensals of the microbiota, and also nutrients such as l-serine, a chemoattractant. The indole concentration in human feces is more than 12-fold the concentration required for half-maximal chemorepulsion, however, we find S. Typhimurium, and various clinical isolates of non-typhoidal S. enterica serovars, are strongly attracted to liquid fecal matter. We further investigated the chemotactic responses of S. Typhimurium to titrations of indole and l-serine and revealed that chemorepulsion to indole is overridden in the presence of excess l-serine. We capture the inversion of these two opposing taxis behaviors in a phenomenon we define as "chemohalation" in which the bacteria organize into a halo around the treatment source with an interior zone of avoidance, which represents a compromise between chemoattraction and chemorepulsion. Growth analyses reveal that the chemotactic responses to these opposing effectors align chemoattraction and chemorepulsion with the relative growth of the bacteria in culture. Hence, our study supports the view that evolution has finely tuned chemotaxis to assess environmental habitability by evaluating the tradeoffs in bacterial growth based on the local combination of effectors.

Sensing the environment by bacterial plant pathogens: What do their numerous chemoreceptors recognize?

Bacteria have evolved multiple sensing strategies to efficiently adapt to their natural hosts and environments. In the context of plant pathology, chemotaxis allows phytopathogenic bacteria to direct their movement towards hosts through the detection of a landscape of plant-derived molecules, facilitating the initiation of the infective process. The importance of chemotaxis for the lifestyle of phytopathogens is also reflected in the fact that they have, on average, twice as many chemoreceptors as bacteria that do not interact with plants. Paradoxically, the knowledge about the function of plant pathogen chemoreceptors is scarce. Notably, many of these receptors seem to be specific to plant-interacting bacteria, suggesting that they may recognize plant-specific compounds. Here, we highlight the need to advance our knowledge of phytopathogen chemoreceptor function, which may serve as a base for the development of anti-infective therapies for the control of phytopathogens.