Sugars induce the Agrobacterium virulence genes through a periplasmic binding protein and a transmembrane signal protein

Regulation of Bacterial Growth and Behavior by Host Plant

Plants are associated with diverse bacteria in nature. Some bacteria are pathogens that decrease plant fitness, and others are beneficial bacteria that promote plant growth and stress resistance. Emerging evidence also suggests that plant-associated commensal bacteria collectively contribute to plant health and are essential for plant survival in nature. Bacteria with different characteristics simultaneously colonize plant tissues. Thus, plants need to accommodate bacteria that provide service to the host plants, but they need to defend against pathogens at the same time. How do plants achieve this? In this review, we summarize how plants use physical barriers, control common goods such as water and nutrients, and produce antibacterial molecules to regulate bacterial growth and behavior. Furthermore, we highlight that plants use specialized metabolites that support or inhibit specific bacteria, thereby selectively recruiting plant-associated bacterial communities and regulating their function. We also raise important questions that need to be addressed to improve our understanding of plant-bacteria interactions.

Genomic consequences associated with Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of plants

Attenuated strains of the naturally occurring plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens can transfer virtually any DNA sequence of interest to model plants and crops. This has made Agrobacterium-mediated transformation (AMT) one of the most commonly used tools in agricultural biotechnology. Understanding AMT, and its functional consequences, is of fundamental importance given that it sits at the intersection of many fundamental fields of study, including plant-microbe interactions, DNA repair/genome stability, and epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Despite extensive research and use of AMT over the last 40 years, the extent of genomic disruption associated with integrating exogenous DNA into plant genomes using this method remains underappreciated. However, new technologies like long-read sequencing make this disruption more apparent, complementing previous findings from multiple research groups that have tackled this question in the past. In this review, we cover progress on the molecular mechanisms involved in Agrobacterium-mediated DNA integration into plant genomes. We also discuss localized mutations at the site of insertion and describe the structure of these DNA insertions, which can range from single copy insertions to large concatemers, consisting of complex DNA originating from different sources. Finally, we discuss the prevalence of large-scale genomic rearrangements associated with the integration of DNA during AMT with examples. Understanding the intended and unintended effects of AMT on genome stability is critical to all plant researchers who use this methodology to generate new genetic variants.

Ill Communication: Host Metabolites as Virulence-Regulating Signals for Plant-Pathogenic Bacteria

Plant bacterial pathogens rely on host-derived signals to coordinate the deployment of virulence factors required for infection. In this review, I describe how diverse plant-pathogenic bacteria detect and respond to plant-derived metabolic signals for the purpose of virulence gene regulation. I highlight examples of how pathogens perceive host metabolites through membrane-localized receptors as well as intracellular response mechanisms. Furthermore, I describe how individual strains may coordinate their virulence using multiple distinct host metabolic signals, and how plant signals may positively or negatively regulate virulence responses. I also describe how plant defenses may interfere with the perception of host metabolites as a means to dampen pathogen virulence. The emerging picture is that recognition of host metabolic signals for the purpose of virulence gene regulation represents an important primary layer of interaction between pathogenic bacteria and host plants that shapes infection outcomes.

Virulence and Ecology of Agrobacteria in the Context of Evolutionary Genomics

Among plant-associated bacteria, agrobacteria occupy a special place. These bacteria are feared in the field as agricultural pathogens. They cause abnormal growth deformations and significant economic damage to a broad range of plant species. However, these bacteria are revered in the laboratory as models and tools. They are studied to discover and understand basic biological phenomena and used in fundamental plant research and biotechnology. Agrobacterial pathogenicity and capability for transformation are one and the same and rely on functions encoded largely on their oncogenic plasmids. Here, we synthesize a substantial body of elegant work that elucidated agrobacterial virulence mechanisms and described their ecology. We review findings in the context of the natural diversity that has been recently unveiled for agrobacteria and emphasize their genomics and plasmids. We also identify areas of research that can capitalize on recent findings to further transform our understanding of agrobacterial virulence and ecology.

Cryptococcus neoformans releases proteins during intracellular residence that affect the outcome of the fungal-macrophage interaction

Cryptococcus neoformans is a facultative intracellular pathogen that can replicate and disseminate in mammalian macrophages. In this study, we analyzed fungal proteins identified in murine macrophage-like cells after infection with C. neoformans. To accomplish this, we developed a protocol to identify proteins released from cryptococcal cells inside macrophage-like cells; we identified 127 proteins of fungal origin in infected macrophage-like cells. Among the proteins identified was urease, a known virulence factor, and others such as transaldolase and phospholipase D, which have catalytic activities that could contribute to virulence. This method provides a straightforward methodology to study host-pathogen interactions. We chose to study further Yeast Oligomycin Resistance (Yor1), a relatively uncharacterized protein belonging to the large family of ATP binding cassette transporter (ABC transporters). These transporters belong to a large and ancient protein family found in all extant phyla. While ABC transporters have an enormous diversity of functions across varied species, in pathogenic fungi they are better studied as drug efflux pumps. Analysis of C. neoformans yor1Δ strains revealed defects in nonlytic exocytosis, capsule size, and dimensions of extracellular vesicles, when compared to wild-type strains. We detected no difference in growth rates and cell body size. Our results indicate that C. neoformans releases a large suite of proteins during macrophage infection, some of which can modulate fungal virulence and are likely to affect the fungal-macrophage interaction.

Genetic factors governing bacterial virulence and host plant susceptibility during Agrobacterium infection

Several species of the Agrobacterium genus represent unique bacterial pathogens able to genetically transform plants, by transferring and integrating a segment of their own DNA (T-DNA, transferred DNA) in their host genome. Whereas in nature this process results in uncontrolled growth of the infected plant cells (tumors), this capability of Agrobacterium has been widely used as a crucial tool to generate transgenic plants, for research and biotechnology. The virulence of Agrobacterium relies on a series of virulence genes, mostly encoded on a large plasmid (Ti-plasmid, tumor inducing plasmid), involved in the different steps of the DNA transfer to the host cell genome: activation of bacterial virulence, synthesis and export of the T-DNA and its associated proteins, intracellular trafficking of the T-DNA and effector proteins in the host cell, and integration of the T-DNA in the host genomic DNA. Multiple interactions between these bacterial encoded proteins and host factors occur during the infection process, which determine the outcome of the infection. Here, we review our current knowledge of the mechanisms by which bacterial and plant factors control Agrobacterium virulence and host plant susceptibility.

Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer: recent advancements and layered immunity in plants

Plant responds to Agrobacterium via three-layered immunity that determines its susceptibility or resistance to Agrobacterium infection. Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a soil-borne Gram-negative bacterium that causes crown gall disease in plants. The remarkable feat of interkingdom gene transfer has been extensively utilised in plant biotechnology to transform plant as well as non-host systems. In the past two decades, the molecular mode of the pathogenesis of A. tumefaciens has been extensively studied. Agrobacterium has also been utilised as a premier model to understand the defence response of plants during plant-Agrobacterium interaction. Nonetheless, the threat of Agrobacterium-mediated crown gall disease persists and is associated with a huge loss of plant vigour in agriculture. Understanding the molecular dialogues between these two interkingdom species might provide a cure for crown gall disease. Plants respond to A. tumefaciens by mounting a three-layered immune response, which is manipulated by Agrobacterium via its virulence effector proteins. Comparative studies on plant defence proteins versus the counter-defence of Agrobacterium have shed light on plant susceptibility and tolerance. It is possible to manipulate a plant's immune system to overcome the crown gall disease and increase its competence via A. tumefaciens-mediated transformation. This review summarises the recent advances in the molecular mode of Agrobacterium pathogenesis as well as the three-layered immune response of plants against Agrobacterium infection.

The role of solute binding proteins in signal transduction

The solute binding proteins (SBPs) of prokaryotes are present in the extracytosolic space. Although their primary function is providing substrates to transporters, SBPs also stimulate different signaling proteins, including chemoreceptors, sensor kinases, diguanylate cyclases/phosphodiesterases and Ser/Thr kinases, thereby causing a wide range of responses. While relatively few such systems have been identified, several pieces of evidence suggest that SBP-mediated receptor activation is a widespread mechanism. (1) These systems have been identified in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and archaea. (2) There is a structural diversity in the receptor domains that bind SBPs. (3) SBPs belonging to thirteen different families interact with receptor ligand binding domains (LBDs). (4) For the two most abundant receptor LBD families, dCache and four-helix-bundle, there are different modes of interaction with SBPs. (5) SBP-stimulated receptors carry out many different functions. The advantage of SBP-mediated receptor stimulation is attributed to a strict control of SBP levels, which allows a precise adjustment of the systeḿs sensitivity. We have compiled information on the effect of ligands on the transcript/protein levels of their cognate SBPs. In 87 % of the cases analysed, ligands altered SBP expression levels. The nature of the regulatory effect depended on the ligand family. Whereas inorganic ligands typically downregulate SBP expression, an upregulation was observed in response to most sugars and organic acids. A major unknown is the role that SBPs play in signaling and in receptor stimulation. This review attempts to summarize what is known and to present new information to narrow this gap in knowledge.

The periplasmic component of the DctPQM TRAP-transporter is part of the DctS/DctR sensory pathway in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Rhodobacter sphaeroides can use C4-dicarboxylic acids to grow heterotrophically or photoheterotropically, and it was previously demonstrated in Rhodobacter capsulatus that the DctPQM transporter system is essential to support growth using these organic acids under heterotrophic but not under photoheterotrophic conditions. In this work we show that in R. sphaeroides this transporter system is essential for photoheterotrophic and heterotrophic growth, when C4-dicarboxylic acids are used as a carbon source. We also found that over-expression of dctPQM is detrimental for photoheterotrophic growth in the presence of succinic acid in the culture medium. In agreement with this, we observed a reduction of the dctPQM promoter activity in cells growing under these conditions, indicating that the amount of DctPQM needs to be reduced under photoheterotrophic growth. It has been reported that the two-component system DctS and DctR activates the expression of dctPQM. Our results demonstrate that in the absence of DctR, dctPQM is still expressed albeit at a low level. In this work, we have found that the periplasmic component of the transporter system, DctP, has a role in both transport and in signalling the DctS/DctR two-component system.

In silico analysis of the chemotactic system of Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is an efficient tool for creating transgenic host plants. The first step in the genetic transformation process involves A. tumefaciens chemotaxis, which is crucial to the survival of A. tumefaciens in changeable, harsh and even contaminated soil environments. However, a systematic study of its chemotactic signalling pathway is still lacking. In this study, the distribution and classification of chemotactic genes in the model A. tumefaciens C58 and 21 other strains were annotated. Local blast was used for comparative genomics, and hmmer was used for predicting protein domains. Chemotactic phenotypes for knockout mutants of ternary signalling complexes in A. tumefaciens C58 were evaluated using a swim agar plate. A major cluster, in which chemotaxis genes were consistently organized as MCP (methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein), CheS, CheY1, CheA, CheR, CheB, CheY2 and CheD, was found in A. tumefaciens, but two coupling CheW proteins were located outside the 'che' cluster. In the ternary signalling complexes, the absence of MCP atu0514 significantly impaired A. tumefaciens chemotaxis, and the absence of CheA (atu0517) or the deletion of both CheWs abolished chemotaxis. A total of 465 MCPs were found in the 22 strains, and the cytoplasmic domains of these MCPs were composed of 38 heptad repeats. A high homology was observed between the chemotactic systems of the 22 A. tumefaciens strains with individual differences in the gene and receptor protein distributions, possibly related to their ecological niches. This preliminary study demonstrates the chemotactic system of A. tumefaciens, and provides some reference for A. tumefaciens sensing and chemotaxis to exogenous signals.

Establishment and elicitation of transgenic root culture of Plantago lanceolata and evaluation of its anti-bacterial and cytotoxicity activity

Hairy root induction in Plantago lanceolata was optimized to take advantage of transformed root cultures. The highest frequency of transformation was achieved using leaf explant, A4 strain, pre-cultivation of explant, 150 µM Acetosyringone, 5 min inoculation, half-strength Murashige and Skoog basal medium as co-cultivation, and half-strength Gamborg's basal medium as a selective medium with 3% sucrose. Among the studied compound encompassing gallic acid, catalpol and apigenin, only the production of gallic acid in hairy roots was affected by 20 mg L^-1 AgNO₃ and 100 mg L^-1 chitosan at 24 hr which yielded 7.63, 4.76-fold increase in its content, respectively. The methanolic extracts of hairy roots elicited by 20 mg L^-1 AgNO₃ exhibited anti-bacterial activity (MIC and MBC = 25 mg mL^-1) against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris and Salmonella typhi and anti-bacterial potential of non-elicited hairy roots of P. lanceolata (MIC = 25 mg mL^-1 and MBC = 35 mg mL^-1) were more active against Klebsiella pneumoniae and P. vulgaris than other bacteria. The methanolic extracts of the P. lanceolata hairy roots demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity on colorectal carcinoma cell line (SW-480) with IC₅₀ = 250.65 ± 6.8 µg mL^-1 in comparison to human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) with IC₅₀ = 5263.65 ± 4.6 µg mL^-1. Plantago lanceolata hairy roots showed important biological activity explaining its role in traditional medicine.

Chemotactic Host-Finding Strategies of Plant Endoparasites and Endophytes

Plants interact with microorganisms in the environment during all stages of their development and in most of their organs. These interactions can be either beneficial or detrimental for the plant and may be transient or long-term. In extreme cases, microorganisms become endoparastic or endophytic and permanently reside within a plant, while the host plant undergoes developmental reprogramming and produces new tissues or organs as a response to the invasion. Events at the cellular and molecular level following infection have been extensively described, however the mechanisms of how these microorganisms locate their plant hosts via chemotaxis remain largely unknown. In this review, we summarize recent findings concerning the signalling molecules that regulate chemotaxis of endoparasitic/endophytic bacteria, fungi, and nematodes. In particular, we will focus on the molecules secreted by plants that are most likely to act as guidance cues for microorganisms. These compounds are found in a wide range of plant species and show a variety of secondary effects. Interestingly, these compounds show different attraction potencies depending on the species of the invading organism, suggesting that cues perceived in the soil may be more complex than anticipated. However, what the cognate receptors are for these attractants, as well as the mechanism of how these attractants influence these organisms, remain important outstanding questions. Host-targeting marks the first step of plant-microorganism interactions, therefore understanding the signalling molecules involved in this step plays a key role in understanding these interactions as a whole.

Transient expression of the full-length glycoprotein from infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) leaves via agroinfiltration

The glycoprotein of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV), the causative agent of acute disease in salmonids, is the only structural protein of the virus that can induce protective immunity in the fish host. Here, the reliability of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plant for the production of this viral protein was examined by the transient expression method. Using the syringe agroinfiltration method, leaves of bean plants were transformed with the expression construct encoding the full-length of IHNV glycoprotein (IHNV-G) gene. Furthermore, the transformation efficacy of two infiltration buffers including PBS-A (PBS+acetosyringone) and MMS-A (MES buffer + MgSO₄  + sucrose + acetosyringone) was compared. The analysis of mRNA and dot-blot assay confirmed the transcription and translation of IHNV-G protein in bean leaves. Moreover, Western blotting verified the production of intact, full-length (∼57 kDa) IHNV-G protein in the agroinfiltrated plants. Of note, the production level of IHNV-G using MMS-A agroinfiltration buffer was approximately five times higher compared to PBS-A buffer (0.48 vs. 0.1% of total soluble protein), indicating the effect of infiltration buffer on the transient transformation efficiency. The recombinant protein was purified at the final yield of 0.35 μg/g of fresh leaf tissue, using nickel affinity chromatography. The present work is the first report describing the feasibility of the plant expression platform for the production of IHNV-G protein, which can be served as an oral vaccine against IHNV infection.

Ancient co-option of an amino acid ABC transporter locus in Pseudomonas syringae for host signal-dependent virulence gene regulation

Pathogenic bacteria frequently acquire virulence traits via horizontal gene transfer, yet additional evolutionary innovations may be necessary to integrate newly acquired genes into existing regulatory pathways. The plant bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae relies on a horizontally acquired type III secretion system (T3SS) to cause disease. T3SS-encoding genes are induced by plant-derived metabolites, yet how this regulation occurs, and how it evolved, is poorly understood. Here we report that the two-component system AauS-AauR and substrate-binding protein AatJ, proteins encoded by an acidic amino acid-transport (aat) and -utilization (aau) locus in P. syringae, directly regulate T3SS-encoding genes in response to host aspartate and glutamate signals. Mutants of P. syringae strain DC3000 lacking aauS, aauR or aatJ expressed lower levels of T3SS genes in response to aspartate and glutamate, and had decreased T3SS deployment and virulence during infection of Arabidopsis. We identified an AauR-binding motif (Rbm) upstream of genes encoding T3SS regulators HrpR and HrpS, and demonstrated that this Rbm is required for maximal T3SS deployment and virulence of DC3000. The Rbm upstream of hrpRS is conserved in all P. syringae strains with a canonical T3SS, suggesting AauR regulation of hrpRS is ancient. Consistent with a model of conserved function, an aauR deletion mutant of P. syringae strain B728a, a bean pathogen, had decreased T3SS expression and growth in host plants. Together, our data suggest that, upon acquisition of T3SS-encoding genes, a strain ancestral to P. syringae co-opted an existing AatJ-AauS-AauR pathway to regulate T3SS deployment in response to specific host metabolite signals.

The MexE/MexF/AmeC Efflux Pump of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Its Role in Ti Plasmid Virulence Gene Expression

Expression of the tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid virulence genes of Agrobacterium tumefaciens is required for the transfer of DNA from the bacterium into plant cells, ultimately resulting in the initiation of plant tumors. The vir genes are induced as a result of exposure to certain phenol derivatives, monosaccharides, and low pH in the extracellular milieu. The soil, as well as wound sites on a plant-the usual site of the virulence activity of this bacterium-can contain these signals, but vir gene expression in the soil would be a wasteful utilization of energy. This suggests that mechanisms may exist to ensure that vir gene expression occurs only at the higher concentrations of inducers typically found at a plant wound site. In a search for transposon-mediated mutations that affect sensitivity for the virulence gene-inducing activity of the phenol, 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxyacetophenone (acetosyringone [AS]), an RND-type efflux pump homologous to the MexE/MexF/OprN pump of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was identified. Phenotypes of mutants carrying an insertion or deletion of pump components included hypersensitivity to the vir-inducing effects of AS, hypervirulence in the tobacco leaf explant virulence assay, and hypersensitivity to the toxic effects of chloramphenicol. Furthermore, the methoxy substituents on the phenol ring of AS appear to be critical for recognition as a pump substrate. These results support the hypothesis that the regulation of virulence gene expression is integrated with cellular activities that elevate the level of plant-derived inducers required for induction so that this occurs preferentially, if not exclusively, in a plant environment.IMPORTANCE Expression of genes controlling the virulence activities of a bacterial pathogen is expected to occur preferentially at host sites vulnerable to that pathogen. Host-derived molecules that induce such activities in the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens are found in the soil, as well as in the plant. Here, we tested the hypothesis that mechanisms exist to suppress the sensitivity of Agrobacterium species to a virulence gene-inducing molecule by selecting for mutant bacteria that are hypersensitive to its inducing activity. The mutant genes identified encode an efflux pump whose proposed activity increases the concentration of the inducer necessary for vir gene expression; this pump is also involved in antibiotic resistance, demonstrating a relationship between cellular defense activities and the control of virulence in Agrobacterium.

Pathways of DNA Transfer to Plants from Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Related Bacterial Species

Genetic transformation of host plants by Agrobacterium tumefaciens and related species represents a unique model for natural horizontal gene transfer. Almost five decades of studying the molecular interactions between Agrobacterium and its host cells have yielded countless fundamental insights into bacterial and plant biology, even though several steps of the DNA transfer process remain poorly understood. Agrobacterium spp. may utilize different pathways for transferring DNA, which likely reflects the very wide host range of Agrobacterium. Furthermore, closely related bacterial species, such as rhizobia, are able to transfer DNA to host plant cells when they are provided with Agrobacterium DNA transfer machinery and T-DNA. Homologs of Agrobacterium virulence genes are found in many bacterial genomes, but only one non-Agrobacterium bacterial strain, Rhizobium etli CFN42, harbors a complete set of virulence genes and can mediate plant genetic transformation when carrying a T-DNA-containing plasmid.

Super-Agrobacterium ver. 4: Improving the Transformation Frequencies and Genetic Engineering Possibilities for Crop Plants

Agrobacterium tumefaciens has been utilized for both transient and stable transformations of plants. These transformation methods have been used in fields such as breeding GM crops, protein production in plant cells, and the functional analysis of genes. However, some plants have significantly lower transient gene transfer and stable transformation rates, creating a technical barrier that needs to be resolved. In this study, Super-Agrobacterium was updated to ver. 4 by introducing both the ACC deaminase (acdS) and GABA transaminase (gabT) genes, whose resultant enzymes degrade ACC, the ethylene precursor, and GABA, respectively. A. tumefaciens strain GV2260, which is similar to other major strains (EHA105, GV3101, LBA4404, and MP90), was used in this study. The abilities of the Super-Agrobacterium ver. 4 were evaluated in Erianthus ravennae, Solanum lycopersicum "Micro-Tom," Nicotiana benthamiana, and S. torvum. Super-Agrobacterium ver. 4 showed the highest T-DNA transfer (transient transformation) frequencies in E. ravennae and S. lycopersicum, but not in N. benthamiana and S. torvum. In tomato, Super-Agrobacterium ver. 4 increased the stable transformation rate by 3.6-fold compared to the original GV2260 strain. Super-Agrobacterium ver. 4 enables reduction of the amount of time and labor required for transformations by approximately 72%, and is therefore a more effective and powerful tool for plant genetic engineering and functional analysis, than the previously developed strains. As our system has a plasmid containing the acdS and gabT genes, it could be used in combination with other major strains such as EHA105, EHA101, LBA4404, MP90, and AGL1. Super-Agrobacterium ver. 4, could thus possibly be a breakthrough application for improving basic plant science research methods.

Sugarcane apoplast fluid modulates the global transcriptional profile of the diazotrophic bacteria Paraburkholderia tropica strain Ppe8

The stalk apoplast fluid of sugarcane contains different sugars, organic acids and amino acids that may supply the demand for carbohydrates by endophytic bacteria including diazotrophs P. tropica (syn. B. tropica) strain Ppe8, isolated from sugarcane, is part of the bacterial consortium recommended as inoculant to sugarcane. However, little information has been accumulated regarding this plant-bacterium interaction considering that it colonizes internal sugarcane tissues. Here, we made use of the RNA-Seq transcriptomic analysis to study the influence of sugarcane stalk apoplast fluid on Ppe8 gene expression. The bacterium was grown in JMV liquid medium (100 ml), divided equally and then supplemented with 50 ml of fresh JMV medium or 50 ml of apoplast fluid extracted from sugarcane variety RB867515. Total RNA was extracted 2 hours later, the rRNAs were depleted and mRNAs used to construct libraries to sequence the fragments using Ion Torrent technology. The mapping and statistical analysis were carried out with CLC Genomics Workbench software. The RNA-seq data was validated by RT-qPCR using the reference genes fliP1, paaF, and groL. The data analysis showed that 544 genes were repressed and 153 genes were induced in the presence of apoplast fluid. Genes that induce plant defense responses, genes related to chemotaxis and movements were repressed in the presence of apoplast fluid, indicating that strain Ppe8 recognizes the apoplast fluid as a plant component. The expression of genes involved in bacterial metabolism was regulated (up and down), suggesting that the metabolism of strain Ppe8 is modulated by the apoplast fluid. These results suggest that Ppe8 alters its gene expression pattern in the presence of apoplast fluid mainly in order to use compounds present in the fluid as well as to avoid the induction of plant defense mechanisms. This is a pioneer study showing the role played by the sugarcane apoplast fluid on the global modulation of genes in P. tropica strain Ppe8.

Bases moléculaires de l’infection de plantes parAgrobacterium tumefaciensvia un système de sécrétion de type IV

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a well studied phytopathogen given its various applications for deciphering host-pathogen interactions, bacterial communication, and capacity to transfer DNA fragments into host cells via a membrane protein system, the type IV secretion system (T4SS). T4SS mechanism is similar to the one responsible for antibiotic resistance gene transmission, and new knowledge gained could be applied to other organisms using such a mechanism. As well, A. tumefaciens is of economic importance in biotechnology due to its capacity to generate genetically modified plants. Agrobacterium tumefaciens harbours a plasmid known as Ti plasmid encoding T4SS function genes used for transferring genetic information and plant colonization. In this review, the authors describe the molecular basis of infection, from detection of host signals, to the description of different regions of Ti plasmid key to infection, ending with substrate transfer through bacterial wall. [Journal translation].

In silico Study of Iron, Zinc and Copper Binding Proteins of Pseudomonas syringae pv. lapsa: Emphasis on Secreted Metalloproteins

The phytopathogenic bacteria, Pseudomonas syringae pv. lapsa (P. syringae pv. lapsa) infects the staple food crop wheat. Metalloproteins play important roles in plant-pathogen interactions. Hence, the present work is aimed to predict and analyze the iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) binding proteins of P. syringae pv. lapsa which help in its growth, adaptation, survival and pathogenicity. A total of 232 Fe, 307 Zn, and 38 Cu-binding proteins have been identified. The functional annotation, subcellular localization and gene ontology enriched network analysis revealed their role in wide range of biological activities of the phytopathogen. Among the identified metalloproteins, a total of 29 Fe-binding, 31 Zn-binding, and 5 Cu-binding proteins were found to be secreted in nature. These putative secreted metalloproteins may perform diverse cellular and biological functions ranging from transport, response to oxidative stress, proteolysis, antimicrobial resistance, metabolic processes, protein folding and DNA repair. The observations obtained here may provide initial information required to draft new schemes to control microbial infections of staple food crops and will further help in developing sustainable agriculture.

Lifestyle of the biotroph Agrobacterium tumefaciens in the ecological niche constructed on its host plant

Agrobacterium tumefaciens constructs an ecological niche in its host plant by transferring the T-DNA from its Ti plasmid into the host genome and by diverting the host metabolism. We combined transcriptomics and genetics for understanding the A. tumefaciens lifestyle when it colonizes Arabidopsis thaliana tumors. Transcriptomics highlighted: a transition from a motile to sessile behavior that mobilizes some master regulators (Hfq, CtrA, DivK and PleD); a remodeling of some cell surface components (O-antigen, succinoglucan, curdlan, att genes, putative fasciclin) and functions associated with plant defense (Ef-Tu and flagellin pathogen-associated molecular pattern-response and glycerol-3-phosphate and nitric oxide signaling); and an exploitation of a wide variety of host resources, including opines, amino acids, sugars, organic acids, phosphate, phosphorylated compounds, and iron. In addition, construction of transgenic A. thaliana lines expressing a lactonase enzyme showed that Ti plasmid transfer could escape host-mediated quorum-quenching. Finally, construction of knock-out mutants in A. tumefaciens showed that expression of some At plasmid genes seemed more costly than the selective advantage they would have conferred in tumor colonization. We provide the first overview of A. tumefaciens lifestyle in a plant tumor and reveal novel signaling and trophic interplays for investigating host-pathogen interactions.

An account of evolutionary specialization: the AbcR small RNAs in the Rhizobiales

The AbcR small RNAs (sRNAs) are a fascinating example of two highly conserved sRNAs that differ tremendously at the functional level among organisms. From their transcriptional activation to their regulatory capabilities, the AbcR sRNAs exhibit varying characteristics in three well-studied bacteria belonging to the Rhizobiales order: the plant symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti, the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and the animal pathogen Brucella abortus. This review outlines the similarities and differences of the AbcR sRNAs between each of these organisms, and discusses reasons as to why this group of sRNAs has diverged in their genetic organization and regulatory functions across species. In the end, this review will shed light on how regulatory systems, although seemingly conserved among bacteria, can vary based on the environmental niche and lifestyle of an organism.

An Agrobacterium tumefaciens Strain with Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Transaminase Activity Shows an Enhanced Genetic Transformation Ability in Plants

Agrobacterium tumefaciens has the unique ability to mediate inter-kingdom DNA transfer, and for this reason, it has been utilized for plant genetic engineering. To increase the transformation frequency in plant genetic engineering, we focused on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is a negative factor in the Agrobacterium-plant interaction. Recent studies have shown contradictory results regarding the effects of GABA on vir gene expression, leading to the speculation that GABA inhibits T-DNA transfer. In this study, we examined the effect of GABA on T-DNA transfer using a tomato line with a low GABA content. Compared with the control, the T-DNA transfer frequency was increased in the low-GABA tomato line, indicating that GABA inhibits T-DNA transfer. Therefore, we bred a new A. tumefaciens strain with GABA transaminase activity and the ability to degrade GABA. The A. tumefaciens strain exhibited increased T-DNA transfer in two tomato cultivars and Erianthus arundinacues and an increased frequency of stable transformation in tomato.

Profiling of Disease-Related Metabolites in Grapevine Internode Tissues Infected with Agrobacterium vitis

Green shoot cuttings of 10 different grapevine species were inoculated with Agrobacterium vitis to find disease-related metabolites in the grapevine. Crown galls formed 60 days after inoculation varied in gall severity (GS) evaluated by gall incidence (GI) and gall diameter (GD), which were classified into three response types as RR (low GI and small GD), SR (high GI and small GD), and SS (high GI and large GD), corresponding to resistant, moderately resistant, and susceptible responses, respectively. In this, 4, 4, and 2 Vitis species were classified into RR, SR, and SS, respectively. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the grapevine stem metabolites with A. vitis infection showed 134 metabolites in various compound classes critically occurred, which were differentially clustered with the response types by the principal component analysis. Multivariate analysis of the metabolite profile revealed that 11 metabolites increased significantly in relation to the response types, mostly at post-inoculation stages, more prevalently (8 metabolites) at two days after inoculation than other stages, and more related to SS (7 metabolites) than RR (3 metabolites) or SR (one metabolite). This suggests most of the disease-related metabolites may be rarely pre-existing but mostly induced by pathogen infection largely for facilitating gall development except stilbene compound resveratrol, a phytoalexin that may be involved in the resistance response. All of these aspects may be used for the selection of resistant grapevine cultivars and their rootstocks for the control of the crown gall disease of the grapevine.

Low Agrobacterium tumefaciens inoculum levels and a long co-culture period lead to reduced plant defense responses and increase transgenic shoot production of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation is typically conducted by inoculating plant tissues with an Agrobacterium suspension containing approximately 108-109 bacteria mL-1, followed by a 2-3-d co-culture period. Use of longer co-culture periods could potentially increase transformation efficiencies by allowing more time for Agrobacterium to interact with plant cells, but bacterial overgrowth is likely to occur, leading to severe tissue browning and reduced transformation and regeneration. Low bacterial inoculum levels were therefore evaluated as a means to reduce the negative outcomes associated with long co-culture. The use of low inoculum bacterial suspensions (approximately 6 × 102 bacteria mL-1) followed by long co-culture (15 d) led to the production of an average of three transformed sunflower shoots per explant while the use of high inoculum (approximately 6 × 108 bacteria mL-1) followed by short co-culture (3 d) led to no transformed shoots. Low inoculum and long co-culture acted synergistically, and both were required for the improvement of sunflower transformation. Gene expression analysis via qRT-PCR showed that genes related to plant defense response were generally expressed at lower levels in the explants treated with low inoculum than those treated with high inoculum during 15 d of co-culture, suggesting that low inoculum reduced the induction of plant defense responses. The use of low inoculum with long co-culture (LI/LC) led to large increases in sunflower transformation efficiency. This method has great potential for improving transformation efficiencies and expanding the types of target tissues amenable for transformation of different plant species.

Synergistic Action of D-Glucose and Acetosyringone on Agrobacterium Strains for Efficient Dunaliella Transformation

An effective transformation protocol for Dunaliella, a β-carotene producer, was developed using the synergistic mechanism of D-glucose and Acetosyringone on three different Agrobacterium strains (EHA105, GV3101 and LBA4404). In the present study, we investigated the pre-induction of Agrobacterium strains harboring pMDC45 binary vector in TAP media at varying concentrations of D-glucose (5 mM, 10 mM, and 15mM) and 100 μM of Acetosyringone for co-cultivation. Induction of Agrobacterium strains with 10 mM D-glucose and 100 μM Acetosyringone showed higher rates of efficiency compared to other treatments. The presence of GFP and HPT transgenes as a measure of transformation efficiency from the transgenic lines were determined using fluorescent microscopy, PCR, and southern blot analyzes. Highest transformation rate was obtained with the Agrobacterium strain LBA4404 (181 ± 3.78 cfu per 10⁶ cells) followed by GV3101 (128 ± 5.29 cfu per 10⁶ cells) and EHA105 (61 ± 5.03 cfu per 10⁶ cells). However, the Agrobacterium strain GV3101 exhibited more efficient single copy transgene (HPT) transfer into the genome of D. salina than LBA4404. Therefore, future studies dealing with genetic modifications in D. salina can utilize GV3101 as an optimal Agrobacterium strain for gene transfer.

The CebE/MsiK Transporter is a Doorway to the Cello-oligosaccharide-mediated Induction of Streptomyces scabies Pathogenicity

Streptomyces scabies is an economically important plant pathogen well-known for damaging root and tuber crops by causing scab lesions. Thaxtomin A is the main causative agent responsible for the pathogenicity of S. scabies and cello-oligosaccharides are environmental triggers that induce the production of this phytotoxin. How cello-oligosaccharides are sensed or transported in order to induce the virulent behavior of S. scabies? Here we report that the cellobiose and cellotriose binding protein CebE, and MsiK, the ATPase providing energy for carbohydrates transport, are the protagonists of the cello-oligosaccharide mediated induction of thaxtomin production in S. scabies. Our work provides the first example where the transport and not the sensing of major constituents of the plant host is the central mechanism associated with virulence of the pathogen. Our results allow to draw a complete pathway from signal transport to phytotoxin production where each step of the cascade is controlled by CebR, the cellulose utilization regulator. We propose the high affinity of CebE to cellotriose as possible adaptation of S. scabies to colonize expanding plant tissue. Our work further highlights how genes associated with primary metabolism in nonpathogenic Streptomyces species have been recruited as basic elements of virulence in plant pathogenic species.

The plant GABA signaling downregulates horizontal transfer of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens virulence plasmid

In the tumor-inducing (Ti) Agrobacterium tumefaciens, quorum sensing activates the horizontal transfer of the virulent Ti plasmid. In pure culture, this process can be impaired by the A. tumefaciens BlcC lactonase, whose expression is induced by gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA). It was therefore hypothesized that host GABA content might modulate quorum sensing and virulence gene dissemination during A. tumefaciens infection. We examined GABA metabolism and transport in Arabidopsis thaliana tumors combining transcriptomic, metabolomic and histological approaches. In addition, using genetically modified plants and bacteria, we evaluated the impact of plant host GABA content on Ti plasmid dissemination. The results showed that GABA and free proline, which acts as an antagonist of GABA uptake in A. tumefaciens, accumulated in wild-type tumors relative to uninfected plant tissues. Moreover, comparisons of tumors induced on Col-0 and her1 plants showed that the increase in the plant GABA : proline ratio was associated with both the upregulated expression of the blcC gene and the decreased dissemination of Ti plasmid in tumor-colonizing A. tumefaciens populations. This work demonstrates experimentally that the variation in the GABA content in plant tumors can interfere with the dissemination of A. tumefaciens Ti plasmids, and therefore highlights plant GABA content as an important trait in the struggle against pathogenic bacteria.

The Agrobacterium Ti Plasmids

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a plant pathogen with the capacity to deliver a segment of oncogenic DNA carried on a large plasmid called the tumor-inducing or Ti plasmid to susceptible plant cells. A. tumefaciens belongs to the class Alphaproteobacteria, whose members include other plant pathogens (Agrobacterium rhizogenes), plant and insect symbionts (Rhizobium spp. and Wolbachia spp., respectively), human pathogens (Brucella spp., Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp.), and nonpathogens (Caulobacter crescentus, Rhodobacter sphaeroides). Many species of Alphaproteobacteria carry large plasmids ranging in size from ∼100 kb to nearly 2 Mb. These large replicons typically code for functions essential for cell physiology, pathogenesis, or symbiosis. Most of these elements rely on a conserved gene cassette termed repABC for replication and partitioning, and maintenance at only one or a few copies per cell. The subject of this review is the ∼200-kb Ti plasmids carried by infectious strains of A. tumefaciens. We will summarize the features of this plasmid as a representative of the repABC family of megaplasmids. We will also describe novel features of this plasmid that enable A. tumefaciens cells to incite tumor formation in plants, sense and respond to an array of plant host and bacterial signal molecules, and maintain and disseminate the plasmid among populations of agrobacteria. At the end of this review, we will describe how this natural genetic engineer has been adapted to spawn an entire industry of plant biotechnology and review its potential for use in future therapeutic applications of plant and nonplant species.

Adaptation of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens VirG response regulator to activate transcription in plants

The Agrobacterium tumefaciens VirG response regulator of the VirA/VirG two-component system was adapted to function in tobacco protoplasts. The subcellular localization of VirG and VirA proteins transiently expressed in onion cells was determined using GFP fusions. Preliminary studies using Gal4DBD-VP16 fusions with VirG and Escherichia coli UhpA, and NarL response regulators indicated compatibility of these bacterial proteins with the eukaryotic transcriptional apparatus. A strong transcriptional activator based on tandem activation domains from the Drosophila fushi tarazu and Herpes simplex VP16 was created. Selected configurations of the two-site Gal4-vir box GUS reporters were activated by chimeric effectors dependent on either the yeast Gal4 DNA-binding domain or that of VirG. Transcriptional induction of the GUS reporter was highest for the VirE19-element promoter with both constitutive and wild-type VirG-tandem activation domain effectors. Multiple VirE19 elements increased the reporter activity proportionately, indicating that the VirG DNA binding domain was functional in plants. The VirG constitutive-Q-VP16 effector was more active than the VirG wild-type. In both the constitutive and wild-type forms of VirG, Q-VP16 activated transcription of the GUS reporter best when located at the C-terminus, i.e. juxtaposed to the VirG DNA binding domain. These results demonstrate the possibility of using DNA binding domains from bacterial response regulators and their cognate binding elements in the engineering of plant gene expression.

The Receiver of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens VirA Histidine Kinase Forms a Stable Interaction with VirG to Activate Virulence Gene Expression

The plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens carries a virulence gene system that is required for the initiation of crown gall tumors on susceptible plants. Expression of the vir genes is activated by the VirA/VirG two component regulatory system. VirA is a histidine kinase which signals the presence of certain chemicals found at the site of a plant wound. The receiver domain located at its carboxyl terminus defines VirA as a hybrid histidine kinase. Here, we show that the VirA receiver interacts with the DNA-binding domain of VirG. This finding supports the hypothesis that the receiver acts as a recruiting factor for VirG. In addition, we show that removal of the VirA receiver allowed vir gene expression in response to glucose in a dose dependent manner, indicating that the receiver controls VirG activation and suggesting that the supplementary ChvE-sugar signal increases this activity.

ATP-binding Cassette (ABC) Transport System Solute-binding Protein-guided Identification of Novel d-Altritol and Galactitol Catabolic Pathways in Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58

Innovations in the discovery of the functions of uncharacterized proteins/enzymes have become increasingly important as advances in sequencing technology flood protein databases with an exponentially growing number of open reading frames. This study documents one such innovation developed by the Enzyme Function Initiative (EFI; U54GM093342), the use of solute-binding proteins for transport systems to identify novel metabolic pathways. In a previous study, this strategy was applied to the tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic transporters. Here, we apply this strategy to the ATP-binding cassette transporters and report the discovery of novel catabolic pathways for d-altritol and galactitol in Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58. These efforts resulted in the description of three novel enzymatic reactions as follows: 1) oxidation of d-altritol to d-tagatose via a dehydrogenase in Pfam family PF00107, a previously unknown reaction; 2) phosphorylation of d-tagatose to d-tagatose 6-phosphate via a kinase in Pfam family PF00294, a previously orphan EC number; and 3) epimerization of d-tagatose 6-phosphate C-4 to d-fructose 6-phosphate via a member of Pfam family PF08013, another previously unknown reaction. The epimerization reaction catalyzed by a member of PF08013 is especially noteworthy, because the functions of members of PF08013 have been unknown. These discoveries were assisted by the following two synergistic bioinformatics web tools made available by the Enzyme Function Initiative: the EFI-Enzyme Similarity Tool and the EFI-Genome Neighborhood Tool.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens Gene Transfer: How a Plant Pathogen Hacks the Nuclei of Plant and Nonplant Organisms

Agrobacterium species are soilborne gram-negative bacteria exhibiting predominantly a saprophytic lifestyle. Only a few of these species are capable of parasitic growth on plants, causing either hairy root or crown gall diseases. The core of the infection strategy of pathogenic Agrobacteria is a genetic transformation of the host cell, via stable integration into the host genome of a DNA fragment called T-DNA. This genetic transformation results in oncogenic reprogramming of the host to the benefit of the pathogen. This unique ability of interkingdom DNA transfer was largely used as a tool for genetic engineering. Thus, the artificial host range of Agrobacterium is continuously expanding and includes plant and nonplant organisms. The increasing availability of genomic tools encouraged genome-wide surveys of T-DNA tagged libraries, and the pattern of T-DNA integration in eukaryotic genomes was studied. Therefore, data have been collected in numerous laboratories to attain a better understanding of T-DNA integration mechanisms and potential biases. This review focuses on the intranuclear mechanisms necessary for proper targeting and stable expression of Agrobacterium oncogenic T-DNA in the host cell. More specifically, the role of genome features and the putative involvement of host's transcriptional machinery in relation to the T-DNA integration and effects on gene expression are discussed. Also, the mechanisms underlying T-DNA integration into specific genome compartments is reviewed, and a theoretical model for T-DNA intranuclear targeting is presented.

Comparison of Soybean Transformation Efficiency and Plant Factors Affecting Transformation during the Agrobacterium Infection Process

The susceptibility of soybean genotype to Agrobacterium infection is a key factor for the high level of genetic transformation efficiency. The objective of this study is to evaluate the plant factors related to transformation in cotyledonary nodes during the Agrobacterium infection process. This study selected three genotypes (Williams 82, Shennong 9 and Bert) with high transformation efficiency, which presented better susceptibility to Agrobacterium infection, and three low transformation efficiency genotypes (General, Liaodou 16 and Kottman), which showed a relatively weak susceptibility. Gibberellin (GA) levels and soybean GA20ox2 and CYP707A2 transcripts of high-efficiency genotypes increased and were higher than those of low-efficiency genotypes; however, the opposite performance was shown in abscisic acid (ABA). Higher zeatin riboside (ZR) content and DNA quantity, and relatively higher expression of soybean IPT5, CYCD3 and CYCA3 were obtained in high-efficiency genotypes. High-efficiency genotypes had low methyl jasmonate (MeJA) content, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activity, and relatively lower expression of soybean OPR3, PPO1 and PRX71. GA and ZR were positive plant factors for Agrobacterium-mediated soybean transformation by facilitating germination and growth, and increasing the number of cells in DNA synthesis cycle, respectively; MeJA, PPO, POD and ABA were negative plant factors by inducing defence reactions and repressing germination and growth, respectively.

Plant-Agrobacterium interaction mediated by ethylene and super-Agrobacterium conferring efficient gene transfer

Agrobacterium tumefaciens has a unique ability to transfer genes into plant genomes. This ability has been utilized for plant genetic engineering. However, the efficiency is not sufficient for all plant species. Several studies have shown that ethylene decreased the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation frequency. Thus, A. tumefaciens with an ability to suppress ethylene evolution would increase the efficiency of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Some studies showed that plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can reduce ethylene levels in plants through 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase, which cleaves the ethylene precursor ACC into α-ketobutyrate and ammonia, resulting in reduced ethylene production. The whole genome sequence data showed that A. tumefaciens does not possess an ACC deaminase gene in its genome. Therefore, providing ACC deaminase activity to the bacteria would improve gene transfer. As expected, A. tumefaciens with ACC deaminase activity, designated as super-Agrobacterium, could suppress ethylene evolution and increase the gene transfer efficiency in several plant species. In this review, we summarize plant-Agrobacterium interactions and their applications for improving Agrobacterium-mediated genetic engineering techniques via super-Agrobacterium.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens responses to plant-derived signaling molecules

As a special phytopathogen, Agrobacterium tumefaciens infects a wide range of plant hosts and causes plant tumors also known as crown galls. The complexity of Agrobacterium-plant interaction has been studied for several decades. Agrobacterium pathogenicity is largely attributed to its evolved capabilities of precise recognition and response to plant-derived chemical signals. Agrobacterium perceives plant-derived signals to activate its virulence genes, which are responsible for transferring and integrating its Transferred DNA (T-DNA) from its Tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid into the plant nucleus. The expression of T-DNA in plant hosts leads to the production of a large amount of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), cytokinin (CK), and opines. IAA and CK stimulate plant growth, resulting in tumor formation. Agrobacterium utilizes opines as nutrient sources as well as signals in order to activate its quorum sensing (QS) to further promote virulence and opine metabolism. Intriguingly, Agrobacterium also recognizes plant-derived signals including γ-amino butyric acid and salicylic acid (SA) to activate quorum quenching that reduces the level of QS signals, thereby avoiding the elicitation of plant defense and preserving energy. In addition, Agrobacterium hijacks plant-derived signals including SA, IAA, and ethylene to down-regulate its virulence genes located on the Ti plasmid. Moreover, certain metabolites from corn (Zea mays) also inhibit the expression of Agrobacterium virulence genes. Here we outline the responses of Agrobacterium to major plant-derived signals that impact Agrobacterium-plant interactions.

GxySBA ABC transporter of Agrobacterium tumefaciens and its role in sugar utilization and vir gene expression

Monosaccharides available in the extracellular milieu of Agrobacterium tumefaciens can be transported into the cytoplasm, or via the periplasmic sugar binding protein, ChvE, play a critical role in controlling virulence gene expression. The ChvE-MmsAB ABC transporter is involved in the utilization of a wide range of monosaccharide substrates but redundant transporters are likely given the ability of a chvE-mmsAB deletion strain to grow, albeit more slowly, in the presence of particular monosaccharides. In this study, a putative ABC transporter encoded by the gxySBA operon is identified and shown to be involved in the utilization of glucose, xylose, fucose, and arabinose, which are also substrates for the ChvE-MmsAB ABC transporter. Significantly, GxySBA is also shown to be the first characterized glucosamine ABC transporter. The divergently transcribed gene gxyR encodes a repressor of the gxySBA operon, the function of which can be relieved by a subset of the transported sugars, including glucose, xylose, and glucosamine, and this substrate-induced expression can be repressed by glycerol. Furthermore, deletion of the transporter can increase the sensitivity of the virulence gene expression system to certain sugars that regulate it. Collectively, the results reveal a remarkably diverse set of substrates for the GxySBA transporter and its contribution to the repression of sugar sensitivity by the virulence-controlling system, thereby facilitating the capacity of the bacterium to distinguish between the soil and plant environments.

Understanding pathogenic Burkholderia glumae metabolic and signaling pathways within rice tissues through in vivo transcriptome analyses

Burkholderia glumae is a causal agent of rice grain and sheath rot. Similar to other phytopathogens, B. glumae adapts well to the host environment and controls its biology to induce diseases in the host plant; however, its molecular mechanisms are not yet fully understood. To gain a better understating of the actual physiological changes that occur in B. glumae during infection, we analyzed B. glumae transcriptome from infected rice tissues using an RNA-seq technique. To accomplish this, we analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and identified 2653 transcripts that were significantly altered. We then performed KEGG pathway and module enrichment of the DEGs. Interestingly, most genes involved bacterial chemotaxis-mediated motility, ascorbate and trehalose metabolisms, and sugar transporters including l-arabinose and d-xylose were found to be highly enriched. The in vivo transcriptional profiling of pathogenic B. glumae will facilitate elucidation of unknown plant-pathogenic bacteria interactions, as well as the overall infection processes.

Role of the VirA histidine autokinase of Agrobacterium tumefaciens in the initial steps of pathogenesis

Histidine kinases serve as critical environmental sensing modules, and despite their designation as simple two-component modules, their functional roles are remarkably diverse. In Agrobacterium tumefaciens pathogenesis, VirA serves with VirG as the initiating sensor/transcriptional activator for inter-kingdom gene transfer and transformation of higher plants. Through responses to three separate signal inputs, low pH, sugars, and phenols, A. tumefaciens commits to pathogenesis in virtually all flowering plants. However, how these three signals are integrated to regulate the response and why these signals might be diagnostic for susceptible cells across such a broad host-range remains poorly understood. Using a homology model of the VirA linker region, we provide evidence for coordinated long-range transmission of inputs perceived both outside and inside the cell through the creation of targeted VirA truncations. Further, our evidence is consistent with signal inputs weakening associations between VirA domains to position the active site histidine for phosphate transfer. This mechanism requires long-range regulation of inter-domain stability and the transmission of input signals through a common integrating domain for VirA signal transduction.

Optimization and utilization of Agrobacterium-mediated transient protein production in Nicotiana

Agrobacterium-mediated transient protein production in plants is a promising approach to produce vaccine antigens and therapeutic proteins within a short period of time. However, this technology is only just beginning to be applied to large-scale production as many technological obstacles to scale up are now being overcome. Here, we demonstrate a simple and reproducible method for industrial-scale transient protein production based on vacuum infiltration of Nicotiana plants with Agrobacteria carrying launch vectors. Optimization of Agrobacterium cultivation in AB medium allows direct dilution of the bacterial culture in Milli-Q water, simplifying the infiltration process. Among three tested species of Nicotiana, N. excelsiana (N. benthamiana × N. excelsior) was selected as the most promising host due to the ease of infiltration, high level of reporter protein production, and about two-fold higher biomass production under controlled environmental conditions. Induction of Agrobacterium harboring pBID4-GFP (Tobacco mosaic virus-based) using chemicals such as acetosyringone and monosaccharide had no effect on the protein production level. Infiltrating plant under 50 to 100 mbar for 30 or 60 sec resulted in about 95% infiltration of plant leaf tissues. Infiltration with Agrobacterium laboratory strain GV3101 showed the highest protein production compared to Agrobacteria laboratory strains LBA4404 and C58C1 and wild-type Agrobacteria strains at6, at10, at77 and A4. Co-expression of a viral RNA silencing suppressor, p23 or p19, in N. benthamiana resulted in earlier accumulation and increased production (15-25%) of target protein (influenza virus hemagglutinin).

Development of an Agrobacterium-mediated stable transformation method for the sensitive plant Mimosa pudica

The sensitive plant Mimosa pudica has long attracted the interest of researchers due to its spectacular leaf movements in response to touch or other external stimuli. Although various aspects of this seismonastic movement have been elucidated by histological, physiological, biochemical, and behavioral approaches, the lack of reverse genetic tools has hampered the investigation of molecular mechanisms involved in these processes. To overcome this obstacle, we developed an efficient genetic transformation method for M. pudica mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Agrobacterium). We found that the cotyledonary node explant is suitable for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation because of its high frequency of shoot formation, which was most efficiently induced on medium containing 0.5 µg/ml of a synthetic cytokinin, 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). Transformation efficiency of cotyledonary node cells was improved from almost 0 to 30.8 positive signals arising from the intron-sGFP reporter gene by using Agrobacterium carrying a super-binary vector pSB111 and stabilizing the pH of the co-cultivation medium with 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES) buffer. Furthermore, treatment of the explants with the detergent Silwet L-77 prior to co-cultivation led to a two-fold increase in the number of transformed shoot buds. Rooting of the regenerated shoots was efficiently induced by cultivation on irrigated vermiculite. The entire procedure for generating transgenic plants achieved a transformation frequency of 18.8%, which is comparable to frequencies obtained for other recalcitrant legumes, such as soybean (Glycine max) and pea (Pisum sativum). The transgene was stably integrated into the host genome and was inherited across generations, without affecting the seismonastic or nyctinastic movements of the plants. This transformation method thus provides an effective genetic tool for studying genes involved in M. pudica movements.