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Cheng T, Cheang QW, Xu L, Sheng S, Li Z, Shi Y, Zhang H, Pang LM, Liu DX, Yang L, Liang ZX, Wang J. A PilZ domain protein interacts with the transcriptional regulator HinK to regulate type VI secretion system in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105741. [PMID: 38340793 PMCID: PMC10912698 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Type VI secretion systems (T6SS) are bacterial macromolecular complexes that secrete effectors into target cells or the extracellular environment, leading to the demise of adjacent cells and providing a survival advantage. Although studies have shown that the T6SS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa is regulated by the Quorum Sensing system and second messenger c-di-GMP, the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. In this study, we discovered that the c-di-GMP-binding adaptor protein PA0012 has a repressive effect on the expression of the T6SS HSI-I genes in P. aeruginosa PAO1. To probe the mechanism by which PA0012 (renamed TssZ, Type Six Secretion System -associated PilZ protein) regulates the expression of HSI-I genes, we conducted yeast two-hybrid screening and identified HinK, a LasR-type transcriptional regulator, as the binding partner of TssZ. The protein-protein interaction between HinK and TssZ was confirmed through co-immunoprecipitation assays. Further analysis suggested that the HinK-TssZ interaction was weakened at high c-di-GMP concentrations, contrary to the current paradigm wherein c-di-GMP enhances the interaction between PilZ proteins and their partners. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed that the non-c-di-GMP-binding mutant TssZR5A/R9A interacts directly with HinK and prevents it from binding to the promoter of the quorum-sensing regulator pqsR. The functional connection between TssZ and HinK is further supported by observations that TssZ and HinK impact the swarming motility, pyocyanin production, and T6SS-mediated bacterial killing activity of P. aeruginosa in a PqsR-dependent manner. Together, these results unveil a novel regulatory mechanism wherein TssZ functions as an inhibitor that interacts with HinK to control gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianfang Cheng
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qing Wei Cheang
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Linghui Xu
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuo Sheng
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of the Ministry of Education, Joint International Research Laboratory of Ethnomedicine of the Ministry of Education and Key Laboratory of Basic Pharmacology of Guizhou Province, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Zhaoting Li
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Shi
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huiyan Zhang
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Mei Pang
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ding Xiang Liu
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liang Yang
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhao-Xun Liang
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Junxia Wang
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
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Zhang H, Yang J, Cheng J, Zeng J, Ma X, Lin J. PQS and pyochelin in Pseudomonas aeruginosa share inner membrane transporters to mediate iron uptake. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0325623. [PMID: 38171001 PMCID: PMC10846271 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03256-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteria absorb different forms of iron through various channels to meet their needs. Our previous studies have shown that TseF, a type VI secretion system effector for Fe uptake, facilitates the delivery of outer membrane vesicle-associated Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS)-Fe3+ to bacterial cells by a process involving the Fe(III) pyochelin receptor FptA and the porin OprF. However, the form in which the PQS-Fe3+ complex enters the periplasm and how it is moved into the cytoplasm remain unclear. Here, we first demonstrate that the PQS-Fe3+ complex enters the cell directly through FptA or OprF. Next, we show that inner membrane transporters such as FptX, PchHI, and FepBCDG are not only necessary for Pseudomonas aeruginosa to absorb PQS-Fe3+ and pyochelin (PCH)-Fe3+ but are also necessary for the virulence of P. aeruginosa toward Galleria mellonella larvae. Furthermore, we suggest that the function of PQS-Fe3+ (but not PQS)-mediated quorum-sensing regulation is dependent on FptX, PchHI, and FepBCDG. Additionally, the findings indicate that unlike FptX, neither FepBCDG nor PchHI play roles in the autoregulatory loop involving PchR, but further deletion of fepBCDG and pchHI can reverse the inactive PchR phenotype caused by fptX deletion and reactivate the expression of the PCH pathway genes under iron-limited conditions. Finally, this work identifies the interaction between FptX, PchHI, and FepBCDG, indicating that a larger complex could be formed to mediate the uptake of PQS-Fe3+ and PCH-Fe3+. These results pave the way for a better understanding of the PQS and PCH iron absorption pathways and provide future directions for research on tackling P. aeruginosa infections.IMPORTANCEPseudomonas aeruginosa has evolved a number of strategies to acquire the iron it needs from its host, with the most common being the synthesis, secretion, and uptake of siderophores such as pyoverdine, pyochelin, and the quorum-sensing signaling molecule Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS). However, despite intensive studies of the siderophore uptake pathways of P. aeruginosa, our understanding of how siderophores transport iron across the inner membrane into the cytoplasm is still incomplete. Herein, we reveal that PQS and pyochelin in P. aeruginosa share inner membrane transporters such as FptX, PchHI, and FepBCDG to mediate iron uptake. Meanwhile, PQS and pyochelin-mediated signaling operate to a large extent via these inner membrane transporters. Our study revealed the existence of shared uptake pathways between PQS and pyochelin, which could lead us to reexamine the role of these two molecules in the iron uptake and virulence of P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Jujube, College of Life Sciences, Yan’an University, Yan’an, China
| | - Jianshe Yang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Jujube, College of Life Sciences, Yan’an University, Yan’an, China
| | - Juanli Cheng
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Jujube, College of Life Sciences, Yan’an University, Yan’an, China
| | - Jing Zeng
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Jujube, College of Life Sciences, Yan’an University, Yan’an, China
| | - Xin Ma
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Jujube, College of Life Sciences, Yan’an University, Yan’an, China
| | - Jinshui Lin
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chinese Jujube, College of Life Sciences, Yan’an University, Yan’an, China
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Feng Q, Zhou J, Zhang L, Fu Y, Yang L. Insights into the molecular basis of c-di-GMP signalling in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Crit Rev Microbiol 2024; 50:20-38. [PMID: 36539391 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2022.2154140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa can cause severe infections in immunocompromized people or cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Because of its remarkable ability to invade the host and withstand the bacteriocidal effect of most conventional antibiotics, the infection caused by P. aeruginosa has become a major concern for human health. The switch from acute to chronic infection is governed by the second messenger bis-(3'-5')-cyclic dimeric guanosine mono-phosphate (c-di-GMP) in P. aeruginosa, and c-di-GMP is now recognized to regulate many important biological processes in pathogenesis. The c-di-GMP signalling mechanisms in P. aeruginosa have been studied extensively in the past decade, revealing complicated c-di-GMP metabolism and signalling network. In this review, the underlying mechanisms of this signalling network will be discussed, mainly focussing on how environmental cues regulate c-di-GMP signalling, protein-protein interaction mediated functional regulation, heterogeneity of c-di-GMP and cross talk between c-di-GMP signalling and other signalling systems. Understanding the molecular mechanism underlying the complex c-di-GMP signalling network would be beneficial for developing therapeutic approaches and antibacterial agents to combat the threat from P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qishun Feng
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Jianuan Zhou
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Lianhui Zhang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, PR China
| | - Yang Fu
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Liang Yang
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, PR China
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Khan F, Jeong GJ, Tabassum N, Kim YM. Functional diversity of c-di-GMP receptors in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:259. [PMID: 37749602 PMCID: PMC10519070 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01263-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclic bis-(3', 5')-dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) is ubiquitous in many bacterial species, where it functions as a nucleotide-based secondary messenger and is a vital regulator of numerous biological processes. Due to its ubiquity, most bacterial species possess a wide range of downstream receptors that has a binding affinity to c-di-GMP and elicit output responses. In eukaryotes, several enzymes and riboswitches operate as receptors that interact with c-di-GMP and transduce cellular or environmental signals. This review examines the functional variety of receptors in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems that exhibit distinct biological responses after interacting with c-di-GMP. Evolutionary relationships and similarities in distance among the c-di-GMP receptors in various bacterial species were evaluated to understand their specificities. Furthermore, residues of receptors involved in c-di-GMP binding are summarized. This review facilitates the understanding of how distinct receptors from different origins bind c-di-GMP equally well, yet fulfill diverse biological roles at the interspecies, intraspecies, and interkingdom levels. Furthermore, it also highlights c-di-GMP receptors as potential therapeutic targets, particularly those found in pathogenic microorganisms. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fazlurrahman Khan
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea.
- Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea.
| | - Geum-Jae Jeong
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Nazia Tabassum
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea
- Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Mog Kim
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, The National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea.
- Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, Republic of Korea.
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Cai R, He W, Zhang J, Liu R, Yin Z, Zhang X, Sun C. Blue light promotes zero-valent sulfur production in a deep-sea bacterium. EMBO J 2023; 42:e112514. [PMID: 36946144 PMCID: PMC10267690 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022112514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence has shown that light exists in a diverse range of deep-sea environments. We unexpectedly found that blue light is necessary to produce excess zero-valent sulfur (ZVS) in Erythrobacter flavus 21-3, a bacterium that has been recently isolated from a deep-sea cold seep. E. flavus 21-3 is able to convert thiosulfate to ZVS using a novel thiosulfate oxidation pathway comprising a thiosulfate dehydrogenase (TsdA) and a thiosulfohydrolase (SoxB). Using proteomic, bacterial two-hybrid and heterologous expression assays, we found that the light-oxygen-voltage histidine kinase LOV-1477 responds to blue light and activates the diguanylate cyclase DGC-2902 to produce c-di-GMP. Subsequently, the PilZ domain-containing protein mPilZ-1753 binds to c-di-GMP and activates TsdA through direct interaction. Finally, Raman spectroscopy and gene knockout results verified that TsdA and two SoxB homologs cooperate to regulate ZVS production. As ZVS is an energy source for E. flavus 21-3, we propose that deep-sea blue light provides E. flavus 21-3 with a selective advantage in the cold seep, suggesting a previously unappreciated relationship between light-sensing pathways and sulfur metabolism in a deep-sea microorganism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruining Cai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology & Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of OceanologyChinese Academy of SciencesQingdaoChina
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and BiotechnologyQingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and TechnologyQingdaoChina
- College of Earth ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Center of Ocean Mega‐ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesQingdaoChina
| | - Wanying He
- College of Earth ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Center of Ocean Mega‐ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesQingdaoChina
- CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Geology and Environment & Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of OceanologyChinese Academy of SciencesQingdaoChina
| | - Jing Zhang
- School of Life SciencesHebei UniversityBaodingChina
| | - Rui Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology & Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of OceanologyChinese Academy of SciencesQingdaoChina
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and BiotechnologyQingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and TechnologyQingdaoChina
- Center of Ocean Mega‐ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesQingdaoChina
| | - Ziyu Yin
- College of Earth ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Center of Ocean Mega‐ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesQingdaoChina
- CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Geology and Environment & Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of OceanologyChinese Academy of SciencesQingdaoChina
| | - Xin Zhang
- College of Earth ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Center of Ocean Mega‐ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesQingdaoChina
- CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Geology and Environment & Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of OceanologyChinese Academy of SciencesQingdaoChina
| | - Chaomin Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology & Center of Deep Sea Research, Institute of OceanologyChinese Academy of SciencesQingdaoChina
- Laboratory for Marine Biology and BiotechnologyQingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and TechnologyQingdaoChina
- College of Earth ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Center of Ocean Mega‐ScienceChinese Academy of SciencesQingdaoChina
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Römling U, Cao LY, Bai FW. Evolution of cyclic di-GMP signalling on a short and long term time scale. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001354. [PMID: 37384391 PMCID: PMC10333796 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Diversifying radiation of domain families within specific lineages of life indicates the importance of their functionality for the organisms. The foundation for the diversifying radiation of the cyclic di-GMP signalling network that occurred within the bacterial kingdom is most likely based in the outmost adaptability, flexibility and plasticity of the system. Integrative sensing of multiple diverse extra- and intracellular signals is made possible by the N-terminal sensory domains of the modular cyclic di-GMP turnover proteins, mutations in the protein scaffolds and subsequent signal reception by diverse receptors, which eventually rewires opposite host-associated as well as environmental life styles including parallel regulated target outputs. Natural, laboratory and microcosm derived microbial variants often with an altered multicellular biofilm behaviour as reading output demonstrated single amino acid substitutions to substantially alter catalytic activity including substrate specificity. Truncations and domain swapping of cyclic di-GMP signalling genes and horizontal gene transfer suggest rewiring of the network. Presence of cyclic di-GMP signalling genes on horizontally transferable elements in particular observed in extreme acidophilic bacteria indicates that cyclic di-GMP signalling and biofilm components are under selective pressure in these types of environments. On a short and long term evolutionary scale, within a species and in families within bacterial orders, respectively, the cyclic di-GMP signalling network can also rapidly disappear. To investigate variability of the cyclic di-GMP signalling system on various levels will give clues about evolutionary forces and discover novel physiological and metabolic pathways affected by this intriguing second messenger signalling system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Römling
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lian-Ying Cao
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Biomedicum, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Feng-Wu Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, PR China
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Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm dispersion by the mouse antimicrobial peptide CRAMP. Vet Res 2022; 53:80. [PMID: 36209206 PMCID: PMC9548163 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-022-01097-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is a known bacterium that produces biofilms and causes severe infection. Furthermore, P. aeruginosa biofilms are extremely difficult to eradicate, leading to the development of chronic and antibiotic-resistant infections. Our previous study showed that a cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide (CRAMP) inhibits the formation of P. aeruginosa biofilms and markedly reduces the biomass of preformed biofilms, while the mechanism of eradicating bacterial biofilms remains elusive. Therefore, in this study, the potential mechanism by which CRAMP eradicates P. aeruginosa biofilms was investigated through an integrative analysis of transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data. The omics data revealed CRAMP functioned against P. aeruginosa biofilms by different pathways, including the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) system, cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) signalling pathway, and synthesis pathways of exopolysaccharides and rhamnolipid. Moreover, a total of 2914 differential transcripts, 785 differential proteins, and 280 differential metabolites were identified. A series of phenotypic validation tests demonstrated that CRAMP reduced the c-di-GMP level with a decrease in exopolysaccharides, especially alginate, in P. aeruginosa PAO1 biofilm cells, improved bacterial flagellar motility, and increased the rhamnolipid content, contributing to the dispersion of biofilms. Our study provides new insight into the development of CRAMP as a potentially effective antibiofilm dispersant.
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Banerjee P, Sahoo PK, Sheenu, Adhikary A, Ruhal R, Jain D. Molecular and structural facets of c-di-GMP signalling associated with biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Mol Aspects Med 2021; 81:101001. [PMID: 34311995 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2021.101001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen and is the primary cause of nosocomial infections. Biofilm formation by this organism results in chronic and hard to eradicate infections. The intracellular signalling molecule bis-(3'-5')-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) is a secondary messenger in bacterial cells crucial for motile to sessile transition. The signalling pathway components encompass two classes of enzymes with antagonistic activities, the diguanylate cyclases (DGCs) and phosphodiesterases (PDEs) that regulate the cellular levels of c-di-GMP at distinct stages of biofilm initiation, maturation and dispersion. This review summarizes the structural analysis and functional studies of the DGCs and PDEs involved in biofilm regulation in P. aeruginosa. In addition, we also describe the effector proteins that sense the perturbations in c-di-GMP levels to elicit a functional output. Finally, we discuss possible mechanisms that allow the dynamic levels of c-di-GMP to regulate cognate cellular response. Uncovering the details of the regulation of the c-di-GMP signalling pathway is vital for understanding the behaviour of the pathogen and characterization of novel targets for anti-biofilm interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyajit Banerjee
- Transcription Regulation Lab, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India; Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751024, India
| | - Pankaj Kumar Sahoo
- Transcription Regulation Lab, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Sheenu
- Transcription Regulation Lab, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Anirban Adhikary
- Transcription Regulation Lab, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Rohit Ruhal
- Transcription Regulation Lab, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India
| | - Deepti Jain
- Transcription Regulation Lab, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad, 121001, India.
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Feng Q, Ahator SD, Zhou T, Liu Z, Lin Q, Liu Y, Huang J, Zhou J, Zhang LH. Regulation of Exopolysaccharide Production by ProE, a Cyclic-Di-GMP Phosphodiesterase in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1226. [PMID: 32582123 PMCID: PMC7290235 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitous second messenger c-di-GMP is involved in regulation of multiple biological functions including the important extracellular matrix exopolysaccharides (EPS). But how c-di-GMP metabolic proteins influence EPS and their enzymatic properties are not fully understood. Here we showed that deletion of proE, which encodes a protein with GGDEF-EAL hybrid domains, significantly increased the transcriptional expression of the genes encoding EPS production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and changed the bacterial colony morphology. Our data showed that ProE is a very active phosphodiesterase (PDE), with a high enzyme activity in degradation of c-di-GMP. Interestingly, the optimal activity of ProE was found in the presence of Co2+, unlike other PDEs that commonly rely on Mg2+ or Mn2+ for best performance. Furthermore, we identified three widely conserved novel residues that are critical for the function of ProE through site-directed mutagenesis. Subsequent study showed that ProE, together with other three key PDEs, i.e., RbdA, BifA, and DipA regulate the EPS production in P. aeruginosa PAO1. Moreover, by using the GFP-fusion approach, we observed that these four EPS associated-PDEs showed a polar localization pattern in general. Taken together, our data unveil the molecular mechanisms of ProE in regulation of EPS production, and provide a new insight on its enzymatic properties in degradation of c-di-GMP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qishun Feng
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Stephen Dela Ahator
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tian Zhou
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiqing Liu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qiqi Lin
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiahui Huang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianuan Zhou
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lian-Hui Zhang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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Valentini M, Filloux A. Multiple Roles of c-di-GMP Signaling in Bacterial Pathogenesis. Annu Rev Microbiol 2020; 73:387-406. [PMID: 31500536 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-020518-115555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The intracellular signaling molecule cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) regulates the lifestyle of bacteria and controls many key functions and mechanisms. In the case of bacterial pathogens, a wide variety of virulence lifestyle factors have been shown to be regulated by c-di-GMP. Evidence of the importance of this molecule for bacterial pathogenesis has become so great that new antimicrobial agents are tested for their capacity of targeting c-di-GMP signaling. This review summarizes the current knowledge on this topic and reveals its application for the development of new antivirulence intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Valentini
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland;
| | - Alain Filloux
- MRC Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Infection, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ London, United Kingdom;
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11
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Ma GL, Chandra H, Liang ZX. Taming the flagellar motor of pseudomonads with a nucleotide messenger. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:2496-2513. [PMID: 32329141 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonads rely on the flagellar motor to rotate a polar flagellum for swimming and swarming, and to sense surfaces for initiating the motile-to-sessile transition to adopt a surface-dwelling lifestyle. Deciphering the function and regulation of the flagellar motor is of paramount importance for understanding the behaviours of environmental and pathogenic pseudomonads. Recent studies disclosed the preeminent role played by the messenger c-di-GMP in controlling the real-time performance of the flagellar motor in pseudomonads. The studies revealed that c-di-GMP controls the dynamic exchange of flagellar stator units to regulate motor torque/speed and modulates the frequency of flagellar motor switching via the chemosensory signalling pathways. Apart from being a rotary motor, the flagellar motor is emerging as a mechanosensor that transduces surface-induced mechanical signals into an increase of cellular c-di-GMP concentration to initiate the cellular programs required for long-term colonization. Collectively, the studies generate long-awaited mechanistic insights into how c-di-GMP regulates bacterial motility and the motile-to-sessile transition. The new findings also raise the fundamental questions of how cellular c-di-GMP concentrations are dynamically coupled to flagellar output and the proton-motive force, and how c-di-GMP signalling is coordinated spatiotemporally to fine-tune flagellar response and the behaviour of pseudomonads in solutions and on surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang-Lei Ma
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, S637551, Singapore
| | - Hartono Chandra
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, S637551, Singapore
| | - Zhao-Xun Liang
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, S637551, Singapore.,Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, S637551, Singapore
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12
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Structural Conservation and Diversity of PilZ-Related Domains. J Bacteriol 2020; 202:JB.00664-19. [PMID: 31740493 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00664-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The widespread bacterial second messenger cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) regulates a variety of processes, including protein secretion, motility, cell development, and biofilm formation. c-di-GMP-dependent responses are often mediated by its binding to the cytoplasmic receptors that contain the PilZ domain. Here, we present comparative structural and sequence analysis of various PilZ-related domains and describe three principal types of them: (i) the canonical PilZ domain, whose structure includes a six-stranded beta-barrel and a C-terminal alpha helix, (ii) an atypical PilZ domain that contains two extra alpha helices and forms stable tetramers, and (iii) divergent PilZ-related domains, which include the eponymous PilZ protein and PilZN (YcgR_N) and PilZNR (YcgR_2) domains. We refine the second c-di-GMP binding motif of PilZ as [D/N]hSXXG and show that the hydrophobic residue h of this motif interacts with a cluster of conserved hydrophobic residues, helping maintain the PilZ domain fold. We describe several novel PilZN-type domains that are fused to the canonical PilZ domains in specific taxa, such as spirochetes, actinobacteria, aquificae, cellulose-degrading clostridia, and deltaproteobacteria. We propose that the evolution of the three major groups of PilZ domains included (i) fusion of pilZ with other genes, which produced Alg44, cellulose synthase, and other multidomain proteins; (ii) insertion of an ∼200-bp fragment, which resulted in the formation of tetramer-forming PilZ proteins; and (iii) tandem duplication of pilZ genes, which led to the formation of PilZ dimers and YcgR-like proteins.IMPORTANCE c-di-GMP is a ubiquitous bacterial second messenger that regulates motility, biofilm formation, and virulence of many bacterial pathogens. The PilZ domain is a widespread c-di-GMP receptor that binds c-di-GMP through its RXXXR and [D/N]hSXXG motifs; some PilZ domains lack these motifs and are unable to bind c-di-GMP. We used structural and sequence analysis to assess the diversity of PilZ-related domains and define their common features. We show that the hydrophobic residue h in the second position of the second motif is highly conserved; it may serve as a readout for c-di-GMP binding. We describe three principal classes of PilZ-related domains, canonical, tetramer-forming, and divergent PilZ domains, and propose the evolutionary pathways that led to the emergence of these PilZ types.
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13
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Hou L, Debru A, Chen Q, Bao Q, Li K. AmrZ Regulates Swarming Motility Through Cyclic di-GMP-Dependent Motility Inhibition and Controlling Pel Polysaccharide Production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1847. [PMID: 31474950 PMCID: PMC6707383 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Swarming is a surface-associated motile behavior that plays an important role in the rapid spread, colonization, and subsequent establishment of bacterial communities. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, swarming is dependent upon a functional flagella and aided by the production of biosurfactants. AmrZ, a conserved transcription factor across pseudomonads, has been shown to be a global regulator of multiple genes important for virulence and ecological fitness. In this study, we expand this concept of global control to swarming motility by showing that deletion of amrZ results in a severe defect in swarming, while multicopy expression of this gene stimulates swarming of P. aeruginosa. Mechanistic studies showed that the swarming defect of an amrZ mutant does not involve changes of biosurfactant production but is associated with flagellar malfunction. The ∆amrZ mutant exhibits increased levels of the second messenger cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) compared to the wild-type strain, under swarming conditions. We found that the diguanylate cyclase GcbA was the main contributor to the increased accumulation of c-di-GMP observed in the ∆amrZ mutant and was a strong inhibitor of flagellar-dependent motility. Our results revealed that the GcbA-dependent inhibition of motility required the presence of two c-di-GMP receptors containing a PilZ domain: FlgZ and PA14_56180. Furthermore, the ∆amrZ mutant exhibits enhanced production of Pel polysaccharide. Epistasis analysis revealed that GcbA and the Pel polysaccharide act independently to limit swarming in ΔamrZ. Our results support a role for AmrZ in controlling swarming motility, yet another social behavior besides biofilm formation that is crucial for the ability of P. aeruginosa to colonize a variety of surfaces. The central role of AmrZ in controlling these behaviors makes it a good target for the development of treatments directed to combat P. aeruginosa infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingli Hou
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,Scientific Research Center of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Alexander Debru
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Qianqian Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Qiyu Bao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Kewei Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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14
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Sun Y, Xie Z, Sui F, Liu X, Cheng W. Identification of Cbp1, a c-di-GMP Binding Chemoreceptor in Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571 Involved in Chemotaxis and Nodulation of the Host Plant. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:638. [PMID: 31001223 PMCID: PMC6454048 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cbp1, a chemoreceptor containing a PilZ domain was identified in Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571, a nitrogen-fixing free-living soil bacterium that induces nodule formation in both the roots and stems of the host legume Sesbania rostrata. Chemoreceptors are responsible for sensing signals in the chemotaxis pathway, which guides motile bacteria to beneficial niches and plays an important role in the establishment of rhizobia-legume symbiosis. PilZ domain proteins are known to bind the second messenger c-di-GMP, an important regulator of motility, biofilm formation and virulence. Cbp1 was shown to bind c-di-GMP through the conserved RxxxR motif of its PilZ domain. A mutant strain carrying a cbp1 deletion was impaired in chemotaxis, a feature that could be restored by genetic complementation. Compared with the wild type strain, the Δcbp1 mutant displayed enhanced aggregation and biofilm formation. The Δcbp1 mutant induced functional nodules when inoculated individually. However, the Δcbp1 mutant was less competitive than the wild type in competitive root colonization and nodulation. These data are in agreement with the hypothesis that the c-di-GMP binding chemoreceptor Cbp1 in A. caulinodans is involved in chemotaxis and nodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihong Xie
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China.,Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Fu Sui
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, China.,College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wuzeng Cheng
- Shandong Huibang Bohai Agriculture Development Limited Company, Dongying, China
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15
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Emerging paradigms for PilZ domain-mediated C-di-GMP signaling. Biochem Soc Trans 2019; 47:381-388. [PMID: 30710060 DOI: 10.1042/bst20180543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PilZ domain-containing proteins constitute a large family of bacterial signaling proteins. As a widely distributed protein domain for the binding of the second messenger c-di-GMP, the canonical PilZ domain contains a set of motifs that define the binding site for c-di-GMP and an allosteric switch for propagating local conformational changes. Here, we summarize some new insights gathered from recent studies on the commonly occurring single-domain PilZ proteins, YcgR-like proteins and PilZ domain-containing cellulose synthases. The studies collectively illuminate how PilZ domains function as cis- or trans-regulatory domains that enable c-di-GMP to control the activity of its cellular targets. Overall, the review highlights the diverse protein structure, biological function and regulatory mechanism of PilZ domain-containing proteins, as well as the challenge of deciphering the function and mechanism of orphan PilZ proteins.
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16
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An SQ, Ding YC, Faber F, Hobley L, Sá-Pessoa J. Social behaviour and making attachments: a report from the fifth 'Young Microbiologists Symposium on Microbe Signalling, Organisation and Pathogenesis'. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2018; 165:138-145. [PMID: 30520711 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The fifth Young Microbiologists Symposium was held in Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, in late August 2018. The symposium, focused on 'Microbe signalling, organization and pathogenesis', attracted 121 microbiologists from 15 countries. The meeting allowed junior scientists to present their work to a broad audience, and was supported by the European Molecular Biology Organization, the Federation of European Microbiological Societies, the Society of Applied Microbiology, the Biochemical Society and the Microbiology Society. Sessions covered recent advances in areas of microbiology including gene regulation and signalling, secretion and transport across membranes, infection and immunity, and antibiotics and resistance mechanisms. In this Meeting Report, we highlight some of the most significant advances and exciting developments communicated during talks and poster presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Qi An
- 1Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.,2Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Yi-Chen Ding
- 3Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Asia
| | - Franziska Faber
- 4Institute of Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, German
| | - Laura Hobley
- 5School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Joana Sá-Pessoa
- 1Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
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17
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Venkataramani P, Liang ZX. Enzymatic Production of c-di-GMP Using a Thermophilic Diguanylate Cyclase. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1657:11-22. [PMID: 28889282 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7240-1_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
C-di-GMP has emerged as a prevalent bacterial messenger that controls a multitude of bacterial behaviors. Having access to milligram or gram quantities of c-di-GMP is essential for the biochemical and structural characterization of enzymes and effectors involved in c-di-GMP signaling. Although c-di-GMP can be synthesized using chemical methods, diguanylate cyclases (DGC)-based enzymatic synthesis is the most efficient method of preparing c-di-GMP today. Many DGCs are not suitable for c-di-GMP production because of poor protein stability and the presence of a c-di-GMP-binding inhibitory site (I-site) in most DGCs. We have identified and engineered a thermophilic DGC for efficient production of c-di-GMP for characterizing c-di-GMP signaling proteins and riboswitches. Importantly, residue replacement in the inhibitory I-site of the thermophilic DGC drastically relieved product inhibition to enable the production of hundreds of milligrams of c-di-GMP using 5-10 mg of this robust biocatalyst.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabhadevi Venkataramani
- Division of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore
| | - Zhao-Xun Liang
- Division of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 637551, Singapore.
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18
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Opoku-Temeng C, Sintim HO. Targeting c-di-GMP Signaling, Biofilm Formation, and Bacterial Motility with Small Molecules. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1657:419-430. [PMID: 28889311 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7240-1_31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria possess several signaling molecules that regulate distinct phenotypes. Cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) has emerged as a ubiquitous second messenger that regulates bacterial virulence, cell cycle, motility, and biofilm formation. The link between c-di-GMP signaling and biofilm formation affords novel strategies for treatment of biofilm-associated infections, which is a major public health problem. The complex c-di-GMP signaling pathway creates a hurdle in the development of small molecule modulators. Nonetheless, some progress has been made in this regard and inhibitors of c-di-GMP metabolizing enzymes that affect biofilm formation and motility have been documented. Herein we discuss the components of c-di-GMP signaling, their correlation with biofilm formation as well as motility and reported small molecule inhibitors of c-di-GMP signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clement Opoku-Temeng
- Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery, Purdue University, 500 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.,Biochemistry Graduate Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Center for Drug Discovery, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Herman O Sintim
- Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery, Purdue University, 500 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA. .,Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA. .,Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
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19
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Xiao G, Kong L, Che R, Yi Y, Zhang Q, Yan J, Lin X. Identification and Characterization of c-di-GMP Metabolic Enzymes of Leptospira interrogans and c-di-GMP Fluctuations After Thermal Shift and Infection. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:764. [PMID: 29755425 PMCID: PMC5932348 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira species. The most common species, Leptospira interrogans, can transfer from contaminated soil or water to the human body. It is able to survive these changing environments through sensing and responding to the changes of environmental cues. Cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) is a special secondary messenger in bacteria, which can respond to the environment and regulate diverse bacterial behaviors. The c-di-GMP levels in bacterial cells are regulated by diguanylatecyclases (DGC) and phosphodiesterases (PDE), which are responsible for synthesizing or hydrolyzing c-di-GMP, respectively. In this study, distribution and phylogenetics of c-di-GMP metabolic genes among 15 leptospiral species were systematically analyzed. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that leptospiral species contain a multitude of c-di-GMP metabolic genes. C-di-GMP metabolic genes in L. interrogans strain Lai 56601 were further analyzed and the results showed that these genes have very diverse expression patterns. Most of the putative DGCs and PDEs possess enzymatic activities, as determined by riboswitch-based dual-fluorescence reporters in vivo or HPLC in vitro. Furtherer analysis of subdomains from GGDEF-containing proteins revealed that the ability to synthesize c-di-GMP was lost when the GAF domain from LA1483 and PAS domain from LA2932 were deleted, while deletion of the REC domain from LA2528 did not affect its ability to synthesize c-di-GMP. Furthermore, high temperatures generally resulted in low c-di-GMP concentrations in L. interrogans and most of the c-di-GMP metabolic genes exhibited differential temperature regulation. Also, infection of murine J774A.1 cells resulted in reduced c-di-GMP levels, while no significant change of c-di-GMP metabolic genes on transcriptional levels were observed during the infection of J774A.1 cells. Taken together, these results provide a basic platform for future studies of c-di-GMP signaling pathways in Leptospira.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guohui Xiao
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liangliang Kong
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang Tianke High Technology Development CO. Ltd., Hangzhou, China
| | - Rongbo Che
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yusi Yi
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qinchao Zhang
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie Yan
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Basic Medical Microbiology Division, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xu'ai Lin
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Basic Medical Microbiology Division, State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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20
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Francis VI, Stevenson EC, Porter SL. Two-component systems required for virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2018; 364:3828290. [PMID: 28510688 PMCID: PMC5812489 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnx104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a versatile opportunistic pathogen capable of infecting a broad range of hosts, in addition to thriving in a broad range of environmental conditions outside of hosts. With this versatility comes the need to tightly regulate its genome to optimise its gene expression and behaviour to the prevailing conditions. Two-component systems (TCSs) comprising sensor kinases and response regulators play a major role in this regulation. This minireview discusses the growing number of TCSs that have been implicated in the virulence of P. aeruginosa, with a special focus on the emerging theme of multikinase networks, which are networks comprising multiple sensor kinases working together, sensing and integrating multiple signals to decide upon the best response. The networks covered in depth regulate processes such as the switch between acute and chronic virulence (GacS network), the Cup fimbriae (Roc network and Rcs/Pvr network), the aminoarabinose modification of lipopolysaccharide (a network involving the PhoQP and PmrBA TCSs), twitching motility and virulence (a network formed from the Chp chemosensory pathway and the FimS/AlgR TCS), and biofilm formation (Wsp chemosensory pathway). In addition, we highlight the important interfaces between these systems and secondary messenger signals such as cAMP and c-di-GMP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa I Francis
- Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX 4QD, UK
| | - Emma C Stevenson
- Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX 4QD, UK
| | - Steven L Porter
- Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX 4QD, UK
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21
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Hall CL, Lee VT. Cyclic-di-GMP regulation of virulence in bacterial pathogens. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2018; 9:10.1002/wrna.1454. [PMID: 28990312 PMCID: PMC5739959 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Signaling pathways allow bacteria to adapt to changing environments. For pathogenic bacteria, signaling pathways allow for timely expression of virulence factors and the repression of antivirulence factors within the mammalian host. As the bacteria exit the mammalian host, signaling pathways enable the expression of factors promoting survival in the environment and/or nonmammalian hosts. One such signaling pathway uses the dinucleotide cyclic-di-GMP (c-di-GMP), and many bacterial genomes encode numerous proteins that are responsible for synthesizing and degrading c-di-GMP. Once made, c-di-GMP binds to individual protein and RNA receptors to allosterically alter the macromolecule function to drive phenotypic changes. Each bacterial genome encodes unique sets of genes for c-di-GMP signaling and virulence factors so the regulation by c-di-GMP is organism specific. Recent works have pointed to evidence that c-di-GMP regulates virulence in different bacterial pathogens of mammalian hosts. In this review, we discuss the criteria for determining the contribution of signaling nucleotides to pathogenesis using a well-characterized signaling nucleotide, cyclic AMP (cAMP), in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using these criteria, we review the roles of c-di-GMP in mediating virulence and highlight common themes that exist among eight diverse pathogens that cause different diseases through different routes of infection and transmission. WIREs RNA 2018, 9:e1454. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1454 This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cherisse L Hall
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Vincent T Lee
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, MD, USA
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22
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Yan XF, Xin L, Yen JT, Zeng Y, Jin S, Cheang QW, Fong RACY, Chiam KH, Liang ZX, Gao YG. Structural analyses unravel the molecular mechanism of cyclic di-GMP regulation of bacterial chemotaxis via a PilZ adaptor protein. J Biol Chem 2017; 293:100-111. [PMID: 29146598 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.815704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Revised: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The bacterial second messenger cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) has emerged as a prominent mediator of bacterial physiology, motility, and pathogenicity. c-di-GMP often regulates the function of its protein targets through a unique mechanism that involves a discrete PilZ adaptor protein. However, the molecular mechanism for PilZ protein-mediated protein regulation is unclear. Here, we present the structure of the PilZ adaptor protein MapZ cocrystallized in complex with c-di-GMP and its protein target CheR1, a chemotaxis-regulating methyltransferase in Pseudomonas aeruginosa This cocrystal structure, together with the structure of free CheR1, revealed that the binding of c-di-GMP induces dramatic structural changes in MapZ that are crucial for CheR1 binding. Importantly, we found that restructuring and repositioning of two C-terminal helices enable MapZ to disrupt the CheR1 active site by dislodging a structural domain. The crystallographic observations are reinforced by protein-protein binding and single cell-based flagellar motor switching analyses. Our studies further suggest that the regulation of chemotaxis by c-di-GMP through MapZ orthologs/homologs is widespread in proteobacteria and that the use of allosterically regulated C-terminal motifs could be a common mechanism for PilZ adaptor proteins. Together, the findings provide detailed structural insights into how c-di-GMP controls the activity of an enzyme target indirectly through a PilZ adaptor protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Fu Yan
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Lingyi Xin
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Jackie Tan Yen
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Yukai Zeng
- Bioinformatics Institute (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, Number 07-01, S138671 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shengyang Jin
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Qing Wei Cheang
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | | | - Keng-Hwee Chiam
- Bioinformatics Institute (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, Number 07-01, S138671 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhao-Xun Liang
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore.
| | - Yong-Gui Gao
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore; NTU Institute of Structural Biology, Nanyang Technological University, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 639798, Singapore; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673, Singapore.
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23
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Zhu Y, Yuan Z, Gu L. Structural basis for the regulation of chemotaxis by MapZ in the presence of c-di-GMP. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2017; 73:683-691. [PMID: 28777083 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798317009998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The bacterial second messenger cyclic diguanylate monophosphate (c-di-GMP) mediates multiple aspects of bacterial physiology through binding to various effectors. In some cases, these effectors are single-domain proteins which only contain a PilZ domain. It remains largely unknown how single-domain PilZ proteins function and regulate their downstream targets. Recently, a single-domain PilZ protein, MapZ (PA4608), was identified to inhibit the activity of the methyltransferase CheR1. Here, crystal structures of the C-terminal domain of CheR1 containing SAH and of CheR1 in complex with c-di-GMP-bound MapZ are reported. It was observed that the binding site of MapZ in CheR1 partially overlaps with the SAH/SAM-binding pocket. Consequently, binding of MapZ blocks SAH/SAM binding. This provides direct structural evidence on the mechanism of inhibition of CheR1 by MapZ in the presence of c-di-GMP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxiao Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China
| | - Zenglin Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China
| | - Lichuan Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China
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24
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Hossain S, Boon EM. Discovery of a Novel Nitric Oxide Binding Protein and Nitric-Oxide-Responsive Signaling Pathway in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ACS Infect Dis 2017; 3:454-461. [PMID: 28238256 PMCID: PMC5468770 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.7b00027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
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Nitric
oxide (NO) is a radical diatomic gas molecule that, at low concentrations,
plays important signaling roles in both eukaryotes and bacteria. In
recent years, it has become evident that bacteria respond to low levels
of NO in order to modulate their group behavior. Many bacteria respond
via NO ligation to a well-established NO sensor called H-NOX (heme-nitric
oxide/oxygen binding domain). Many others, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, lack an annotated hnoX gene in their genome yet are able to respond to low
levels of NO to disperse their biofilms. This suggests the existence
of a previously uncharacterized NO sensor. In this study, we describe
the discovery of a novel nitric oxide binding protein (NosP; NO-sensing
protein), which is much more widely conserved in bacteria than H-NOX,
as well as a novel NO-responsive pathway in P. aeruginosa. We demonstrate that biofilms of a P. aeruginosa mutant lacking components of the NosP pathway lose the ability to
disperse in response to NO. Upon cloning, expressing, and purifying
NosP, we find it binds heme and ligates to NO with a dissociation
rate constant that is comparable to that of other well-established
NO-sensing proteins. Moreover, we show that NO-bound NosP is able
to regulate the phosphorelay activity of a hybrid histidine kinase
that is involved in biofilm regulation in P. aeruginosa. Thus, here, we present evidence of a novel NO-responsive pathway
that regulates biofilm in P. aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajjad Hossain
- Graduate Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, ‡Department of Chemistry, and §Institute of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Elizabeth M. Boon
- Graduate Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology, ‡Department of Chemistry, and §Institute of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
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25
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Petrova OE, Gupta K, Liao J, Goodwine JS, Sauer K. Divide and conquer: the Pseudomonas aeruginosa two-component hybrid SagS enables biofilm formation and recalcitrance of biofilm cells to antimicrobial agents via distinct regulatory circuits. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:2005-2024. [PMID: 28263038 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Revised: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa forms antimicrobial resistant biofilms through sequential steps requiring several two-component regulatory systems. The sensor-regulator hybrid SagS plays a central role in biofilm development by enabling the switch from the planktonic to the biofilm mode of growth, and by facilitating the transition of biofilm cells to a highly tolerant state. However, the mechanism by which SagS accomplishes both functions is unknown. SagS harbours a periplasmic sensory HmsP, and phosphorelay HisKA and Rec domains. SagS domain was used as constructs and site-directed mutagenesis to elucidate how SagS performs its dual functions. It was demonstrated that HisKA-Rec and the phospho-signalling between SagS and BfiS contribute to the switch to the biofilm mode of growth, but not to the tolerant state. Instead, expression of SagS domain constructs harbouring HmsP rendered ΔsagS biofilm cells as recalcitrant to antimicrobial agents as wild-type biofilms, likely by restoring BrlR production and cellular c-di-GMP levels to wild-type levels. Restoration of biofilm tolerance by HmsP was independent of biofilm biomass accumulation, RsmA, RsmYZ, HptB and BfiSR-downstream targets. Our findings thus suggest that SagS likely makes use of a "divide-and-conquer" mechanism to regulate its dual switch function, by activating two distinct regulatory networks via its individual domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga E Petrova
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton Biofilm Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Kajal Gupta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton Biofilm Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Julie Liao
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton Biofilm Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - James S Goodwine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton Biofilm Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Karin Sauer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton Biofilm Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
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26
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Jean-Pierre F, Tremblay J, Déziel E. Broth versus Surface-Grown Cells: Differential Regulation of RsmY/Z Small RNAs in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by the Gac/HptB System. Front Microbiol 2017; 7:2168. [PMID: 28119684 PMCID: PMC5222819 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.02168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-component systems are capable of profoundly affecting genetic regulation in bacteria by detecting environmental stimuli, allowing them to quickly adapt. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the small RNAs (sRNAs) RsmY and RsmZ are under the control of the GacS/A system. They have been described as ones of the major key players in the control of planktonic and surface-associated behaviors. Genetic regulation by these sRNAs is achieved by the titration of the negative post-transcriptional regulator RsmA which affects the expression of over 500 genes. There is increasing evidence pinpointing the importance of RsmY and RsmZ in the planktonic-sessile P. aeruginosa lifestyles switch control. Using swarming motility as a model, we show here that these sRNA are differentially regulated depending on the selected growth conditions (i.e., planktonic versus surface grown-cells). Also, we report that opposite to planktonically grown cells, rsmZ regulation does not implicate the response regulator GacA in swarming cells. Furthermore, we present data indicating that RsmY/Z expression influence swarming motility via the protein HptB which acts as a negative regulator of these sRNAs and that they do not strictly converge to RsmA as previously reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice Jean-Pierre
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Armand-Frappier, Laval QC, Canada
| | - Julien Tremblay
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Armand-Frappier, LavalQC, Canada; National Research Council Canada, MontréalQC, Canada
| | - Eric Déziel
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Armand-Frappier, Laval QC, Canada
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27
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Orr MW, Lee VT. A PilZ domain protein for chemotaxis adds another layer to c-di-GMP-mediated regulation of flagellar motility. Sci Signal 2016; 9:fs16. [PMID: 27811181 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aai8859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic diguanylate monophosphate (c-di-GMP) is a ubiquitous second messenger in bacteria. In this issue of Science Signaling, Xu et al show that c-di-GMP regulates chemotaxis by binding to the PilZ domain protein MapZ to alter the methyltransferase activity of its protein partner CheR, fleshing out the c-di-GMP signaling network of the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona W Orr
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics and Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Vincent T Lee
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics and Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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28
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Xu L, Xin L, Zeng Y, Yam JKH, Ding Y, Venkataramani P, Cheang QW, Yang X, Tang X, Zhang LH, Chiam KH, Yang L, Liang ZX. A cyclic di-GMP-binding adaptor protein interacts with a chemotaxis methyltransferase to control flagellar motor switching. Sci Signal 2016; 9:ra102. [PMID: 27811183 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aaf7584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The bacterial messenger cyclic diguanylate monophosphate (c-di-GMP) binds to various effectors, the most common of which are single-domain PilZ proteins. These c-di-GMP effectors control various cellular functions and multicellular behaviors at the transcriptional or posttranslational level. We found that MapZ (methyltransferase-associated PilZ; formerly known as PA4608), a single-domain PilZ protein from the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, directly interacted with the methyltransferase CheR1 and that this interaction was enhanced by c-di-GMP. In vitro assays indicated that, in the presence of c-di-GMP, MapZ inhibited CheR1 from methylating the chemoreceptor PctA, which would be expected to increase its affinity for chemoattractants and promote chemotaxis. MapZ localized to the poles of P. aeruginosa cells, where the flagellar motor and other chemotactic proteins, including PctA and CheR1, are also located. P. aeruginosa cells exhibit a random walk behavior by frequently switching the direction of flagellar rotation in a uniform solution. We showed that binding of c-di-GMP to MapZ decreased the frequency of flagellar motor switching and that MapZ was essential for generating the heterogeneous motility typical of P. aeruginosa cell populations and for efficient surface attachment during biofilm formation. Collectively, the studies revealed that c-di-GMP affects flagellar motor output by regulating the methylation of chemoreceptors through a single-domain PilZ adaptor protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linghui Xu
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore.,Guangdong Innovative and Entrepreneurial Research Team of Sociomicrobiology Basic Science and Frontier Technology, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Lingyi Xin
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Yukai Zeng
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01, Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - Joey Kuok Hoong Yam
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore.,Interdisciplinary Graduate School, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Yichen Ding
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore.,Interdisciplinary Graduate School, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Prabhadevi Venkataramani
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Qing Wei Cheang
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Xiaobei Yang
- Guangdong Innovative and Entrepreneurial Research Team of Sociomicrobiology Basic Science and Frontier Technology, Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xuhua Tang
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR, 61 Biopolis Drive, Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - Lian-Hui Zhang
- Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Keng-Hwee Chiam
- Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, #07-01, Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - Liang Yang
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore. .,Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Zhao-Xun Liang
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore.
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