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Xie C, Gu W, Chen Z, Liang Z, Huang S, Zhang LH, Chen S. Polyamine signaling communications play a key role in regulating the pathogenicity of Dickeya fangzhongdai. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0196523. [PMID: 37874149 PMCID: PMC10715095 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01965-23] [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: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Dickeya fangzhongdai is a newly identified plant bacterial pathogen with a wide host range. A clear understanding of the cell-to-cell communication systems that modulate the bacterial virulence is of key importance for elucidating its pathogenic mechanisms and for disease control. In this study, we present evidence that putrescine molecules from the pathogen and host plants play an essential role in regulating the bacterial virulence. The significance of this study is in (i) demonstrating that putrescine signaling system regulates D. fangzhongdai virulence mainly through modulating the bacterial motility and production of PCWD enzymes, (ii) outlining the signaling and regulatory mechanisms with which putrescine signaling system modulates the above virulence traits, and (iii) validating that D. fangzhongdai could use both arginine and ornithine pathways to synthesize putrescine signals. To our knowledge, this is the first report to show that putrescine signaling system plays a key role in modulating the pathogenicity of D. fangzhongdai.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weihan Gu
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongqiao Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhibin Liang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shufen Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lian-Hui Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaohua Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University Integrative Microbiology Research Centre, Guangzhou, China
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2
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Chen T, Pu M, Subramanian S, Kearns D, Rowe-Magnus D. PlzD modifies Vibrio vulnificus foraging behavior and virulence in response to elevated c-di-GMP. mBio 2023; 14:e0153623. [PMID: 37800901 PMCID: PMC10653909 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01536-23] [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: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Many free-swimming bacteria propel themselves through liquid using rotary flagella, and mounting evidence suggests that the inhibition of flagellar rotation initiates biofilm formation, a sessile lifestyle that is a nearly universal surface colonization paradigm in bacteria. In general, motility and biofilm formation are inversely regulated by the intracellular second messenger bis-(3´-5´)-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP). Here, we identify a protein, PlzD, bearing a conserved c-di-GMP binding PilZ domain that localizes to the flagellar pole in a c-di-GMP-dependent manner and alters the foraging behavior, biofilm, and virulence characteristics of the opportunistic human pathogen, Vibrio vulnificus. Our data suggest that PlzD interacts with components of the flagellar stator to decrease bacterial swimming speed and changes in swimming direction, and these activities are enhanced when cellular c-di-GMP levels are elevated. These results reveal a physical link between a second messenger (c-di-GMP) and an effector (PlzD) that promotes transition from a motile to a sessile state in V. vulnificus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Chen
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Meng Pu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Sundharraman Subramanian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Dan Kearns
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Dean Rowe-Magnus
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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3
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Ide H, Hayashida Y, Morimoto YV. Visualization of c-di-GMP in multicellular Dictyostelium stages. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1237778. [PMID: 37547475 PMCID: PMC10399225 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1237778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The bacterial signaling molecule cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) is only synthesized and utilized by the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum among eukaryotes. Dictyostelium cells undergo a transition from a unicellular to a multicellular state, ultimately forming a stalk and spores. While Dictyostelium is known to employ c-di-GMP to induce differentiation into stalk cells, there have been no reports of direct observation of c-di-GMP using fluorescent probes. In this study, we used a fluorescent probe used in bacteria to visualize its localization within Dictyostelium multicellular bodies. Cytosolic c-di-GMP concentrations were significantly higher at the tip of the multicellular body during stalk formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayato Ide
- Graduate School of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yukihisa Hayashida
- Graduate School of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yusuke V. Morimoto
- Department of Physics and Information Technology, Faculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Fukuoka, Japan
- Japan Science and Technology Agency, PRESTO, Kawaguchi, Japan
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4
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Han Q, Wang SF, Qian XX, Guo L, Shi YF, He R, Yuan JH, Hou YJ, Li DF. Flagellar brake protein YcgR interacts with motor proteins MotA and FliG to regulate the flagellar rotation speed and direction. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1159974. [PMID: 37125196 PMCID: PMC10140304 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1159974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In E. coli and related species, flagellar brake protein YcgR responds to the elevated intracellular c-di-GMP, decreases the flagellar rotation speed, causes a CCW rotation bias, and regulates bacterial swimming. Boehm et al. suggested that c-di-GMP-activated YcgR directly interacted with the motor protein MotA to curb flagellar motor output. Paul et al. proposed that YcgR disrupted the organization of the FliG C-terminal domain to bias the flagellar rotation. The target proteins are controversial, and the role of motor proteins remains unclear in flagellar rotation speed and direction regulation by YcgR. Here we assayed the motor proteins' affinity via a modified FRET biosensor and accessed the role of those key residue via bead assays. We found that YcgR could interact with both MotA and FliG, and the affinities could be enhanced upon c-di-GMP binding. Furthermore, residue D54 of YcgR-N was needed for FliG binding. The mutation of the FliG binding residue D54 or the MotA binding ones, F117 and E232, restored flagellar rotation speed in wild-type cells and cells lacking chemotaxis response regulator CheY that switched the flagellar rotation direction and decreased the CCW ratio in wild-type cells. We propose that c-di-GMP-activated YcgR regulated the flagellar rotation speed and direction via its interaction with motor proteins MotA and FliG. Our work suggest the role of YcgR-motor proteins interaction in bacterial swimming regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qun Han
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shao-Feng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin-Xin Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yi-Feng Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rui He
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jun-Hua Yuan
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale and Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yan-Jie Hou
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Yan-Jie Hou,
| | - De-Feng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- De-Feng Li,
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5
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Chen Y, Lv M, Liang Z, Liu Z, Zhou J, Zhang L. Cyclic di-GMP modulates sessile-motile phenotypes and virulence in Dickeya oryzae via two PilZ domain receptors. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2022; 23:870-884. [PMID: 35254732 PMCID: PMC9104268 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Dickeya oryzae is a bacterial pathogen causing the severe rice stem rot disease in China and other rice-growing countries. We showed recently that the universal bacterial second messenger c-di-GMP plays an important role in modulation of bacterial motility and pathogenicity, but the mechanism of regulation remains unknown. In this study, bioinformatics analysis of the D. oryzae EC1 genome led to the identification of two proteins, YcgR and BcsA, both of which contain a conserved c-di-GMP receptor domain, known as the PilZ-domain. By deleting all the genes encoding c-di-GMP-degrading enzymes in D. oryzae EC1, the resultant mutant 7ΔPDE with high c-di-GMP levels became nonmotile, formed hyperbiofilm, and lost the ability to colonize and invade rice seeds. These phenotypes were partially reversed by deletion of ycgR in the mutant 7ΔPDE, whereas deletion of bcsA only reversed the hyperbiofilm phenotype of mutant 7ΔPDE. Significantly, double deletion of ycgR and bcsA in mutant 7ΔPDE rescued its motility, biofilm formation, and virulence to levels of wild-type EC1. In vitro biochemical experiments and in vivo phenotypic assays further validated that YcgR and BcsA proteins are the receptors for c-di-GMP, which together play a critical role in regulating the c-di-GMP-associated functionality. The findings from this study fill a gap in our understanding of how c-di-GMP modulates bacterial motility and biofilm formation, and provide useful clues for further elucidation of sophisticated virulence regulatory mechanisms in this important plant pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufan Chen
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlIntegrative Microbiology Research CenterSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Mingfa Lv
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlIntegrative Microbiology Research CenterSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Zhibin Liang
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlIntegrative Microbiology Research CenterSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Zhiqing Liu
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlIntegrative Microbiology Research CenterSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Jianuan Zhou
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlIntegrative Microbiology Research CenterSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Lian‐Hui Zhang
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureGuangzhouChina
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease ControlIntegrative Microbiology Research CenterSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhouChina
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6
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The Effect of the Second Messenger c-di-GMP on Bacterial Chemotaxis in Escherichia coli. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0037322. [PMID: 35465687 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00373-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
c-di-GMP is a ubiquitous bacterial second messenger that plays a central regulatory role in diverse biological processes. c-di-GMP was known to regulate chemotaxis in multiple bacterial species, but its effect on Escherichia coli chemotaxis remained unclear. As an effector of c-di-GMP in E. coli, YcgR when bound with c-di-GMP interacts with the flagellar motor to reduce its speed and its probability of rotating clockwise (CW bias). Here, we found that a significant fraction of the c-di-GMP::YcgR dynamically exchange between the motor and the cytosol. Through fluorescent measurements, we found that there was no competitive binding between the chemotaxis response regulator CheY-P and c-di-GMP::YcgR to the motor. To test the influence of elevated c-di-GMP levels on the chemotaxis pathway, we measured the chemotactic responses of E. coli cells using a FRET assay, finding that elevated c-di-GMP levels had no effect on the upstream part of chemotaxis pathway down to the level of CheY-P concentration. This suggested that the possible effect of elevated c-di-GMP levels on chemotactic motion was through regulation of motor speed and CW bias. Using stochastic simulations of chemotactic swimming, we showed that the effects of reducing motor speed and decreasing CW bias on chemotactic drift velocity are compensating for each other, resulting in minimal effect of elevated c-di-GMP levels on E. coli chemotaxis. Therefore, elevated c-di-GMP levels promote the transition from motile to sedentary forms of bacterial life by reducing the bacterial swimming speed and CW bias, while still maintaining a nearly intact chemotaxis capability in E. coli. IMPORTANCE The ubiquitous bacterial second messenger c-di-GMP was known to regulate chemotaxis in many bacterial species, but its effect on E. coli chemotaxis was unclear. Here we studied the effect of elevated c-di-GMP levels on chemotaxis in E. coli. We found that the binding of c-di-GMP::YcgR (its effector) and the chemotaxis response regulator CheY-P to the flagellar motor are noncompetitive, and elevated c-di-GMP levels do not affect the upstream part of the chemotaxis pathway down to the level of CheY-P concentration. Elevated c-di-GMP levels exert direct effects on the flagellar motor by reducing its speed and CW bias, but the resulting effects on chemotaxis performance are compensating for each other. Our findings here showed that elevated c-di-GMP levels maintain a nearly intact chemotaxis capability when promoting the transition from motile to sedentary forms of bacterial life in E. coli.
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7
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Fu Y, Yu Z, Zhu L, Li Z, Yin W, Shang X, Chou SH, Tan Q, He J. The Multiple Regulatory Relationship Between RNA-Chaperone Hfq and the Second Messenger c-di-GMP. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:689619. [PMID: 34335515 PMCID: PMC8323549 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.689619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA chaperone protein Hfq is an important post-transcriptional regulator in bacteria, while c-di-GMP is a second messenger signaling molecule widely distributed in bacteria. Both factors have been found to play key roles in post-transcriptional regulation and signal transduction pathways, respectively. Intriguingly, the two factors show some common aspects in the regulation of certain physiological functions such as bacterial motility, biofilm formation, pathogenicity and so on. Therefore, there may be regulatory relationship between Hfq and c-di-GMP. For example, Hfq can directly regulate the activity of c-di-GMP metabolic enzymes or alter the c-di-GMP level through other systems, while c-di-GMP can indirectly enhance or inhibit the hfq gene expression through intermediate factors. In this article, after briefly introducing the Hfq and c-di-GMP regulatory systems, we will focus on the direct and indirect regulation reported between Hfq and c-di-GMP, aiming to compare and link the two regulatory systems to further study the complicated physiological and metabolic systems of bacteria, and to lay a solid foundation for drawing a more complete global regulatory network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Fu
- National Engineering Research Center of Edible Fungi, Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China.,State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhaoqing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhou Li
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wen Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaodong Shang
- National Engineering Research Center of Edible Fungi, Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Shan-Ho Chou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qi Tan
- National Engineering Research Center of Edible Fungi, Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin He
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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8
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Groshong AM, Grassmann AA, Luthra A, McLain MA, Provatas AA, Radolf JD, Caimano MJ. PlzA is a bifunctional c-di-GMP biosensor that promotes tick and mammalian host-adaptation of Borrelia burgdorferi. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009725. [PMID: 34265024 PMCID: PMC8323883 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we examined the relationship between c-di-GMP and its only known effector protein, PlzA, in Borrelia burgdorferi during the arthropod and mammalian phases of the enzootic cycle. Using a B. burgdorferi strain expressing a plzA point mutant (plzA-R145D) unable to bind c-di-GMP, we confirmed that the protective function of PlzA in ticks is c-di-GMP-dependent. Unlike ΔplzA spirochetes, which are severely attenuated in mice, the plzA-R145D strain was fully infectious, firmly establishing that PlzA serves a c-di-GMP-independent function in mammals. Contrary to prior reports, loss of PlzA did not affect expression of RpoS or RpoS-dependent genes, which are essential for transmission, mammalian host-adaptation and murine infection. To ascertain the nature of PlzA's c-di-GMP-independent function(s), we employed infection models using (i) host-adapted mutant spirochetes for needle inoculation of immunocompetent mice and (ii) infection of scid mice with in vitro-grown organisms. Both approaches substantially restored ΔplzA infectivity, suggesting that PlzA enables B. burgdorferi to overcome an early bottleneck to infection. Furthermore, using a Borrelia strain expressing a heterologous, constitutively active diguanylate cyclase, we demonstrate that 'ectopic' production of c-di-GMP in mammals abrogates spirochete virulence and interferes with RpoS function at the post-translational level in a PlzA-dependent manner. Structural modeling and SAXS analysis of liganded- and unliganded-PlzA revealed marked conformational changes that underlie its biphasic functionality. This structural plasticity likely enables PlzA to serve as a c-di-GMP biosensor that in its respective liganded and unliganded states promote vector- and host-adaptation by the Lyme disease spirochete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M. Groshong
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - André A. Grassmann
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Amit Luthra
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Melissa A. McLain
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Anthony A. Provatas
- Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Justin D. Radolf
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Genetics and Genome Science, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Immunology, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Melissa J. Caimano
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, United States of America
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9
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Krol E, Schäper S, Becker A. Cyclic di-GMP signaling controlling the free-living lifestyle of alpha-proteobacterial rhizobia. Biol Chem 2021; 401:1335-1348. [PMID: 32990642 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2020-0232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic-di-GMP (c-di-GMP) is a ubiquitous bacterial second messenger which has been associated with a motile to sessile lifestyle switch in many bacteria. Here, we review recent insights into c-di-GMP regulated processes related to environmental adaptations in alphaproteobacterial rhizobia, which are diazotrophic bacteria capable of fixing nitrogen in symbiosis with their leguminous host plants. The review centers on Sinorhizobium meliloti, which in the recent years was intensively studied for its c-di-GMP regulatory network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizaveta Krol
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-Universität Marburg, D-35032 Marburg, Germany.,Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, D-35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Simon Schäper
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-Universität Marburg, D-35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Anke Becker
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-Universität Marburg, D-35032 Marburg, Germany.,Department of Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, D-35032 Marburg, Germany
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10
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Pecina A, Schwan M, Blagotinsek V, Rick T, Klüber P, Leonhard T, Bange G, Thormann KM. The Stand-Alone PilZ-Domain Protein MotL Specifically Regulates the Activity of the Secondary Lateral Flagellar System in Shewanella putrefaciens. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:668892. [PMID: 34140945 PMCID: PMC8203827 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.668892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of bacterial species control the function of the flagellar motor in response to the levels of the secondary messenger c-di-GMP, which is often mediated by c-di-GMP-binding proteins that act as molecular brakes or clutches to slow the motor rotation. The gammaproteobacterium Shewanella putrefaciens possesses two distinct flagellar systems, the primary single polar flagellum and a secondary system with one to five lateral flagellar filaments. Here, we identified a protein, MotL, which specifically regulates the activity of the lateral, but not the polar, flagellar motors in response to the c-di-GMP levels. MotL only consists of a single PilZ domain binding c-di-GMP, which is crucial for its function. Deletion and overproduction analyses revealed that MotL slows down the lateral flagella at elevated levels of c-di-GMP, and may speed up the lateral flagellar-mediated movement at low c-di-GMP concentrations. In vitro interaction studies hint at an interaction of MotL with the C-ring of the lateral flagellar motors. This study shows a differential c-di-GMP-dependent regulation of the two flagellar systems in a single species, and implicates that PilZ domain-only proteins can also act as molecular regulators to control the flagella-mediated motility in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Pecina
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Meike Schwan
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Vitan Blagotinsek
- Department of Chemistry, SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tim Rick
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Patrick Klüber
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Tabea Leonhard
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Gert Bange
- Department of Chemistry, SYNMIKRO Research Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Kai M Thormann
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Giessen, Germany
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11
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Yin W, Xu S, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Chou SH, Galperin MY, He J. Ways to control harmful biofilms: prevention, inhibition, and eradication. Crit Rev Microbiol 2020; 47:57-78. [PMID: 33356690 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2020.1842325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Biofilms are complex microbial architectures that encase microbial cells in a matrix comprising self-produced extracellular polymeric substances. Microorganisms living in biofilms are much more resistant to hostile environments than their planktonic counterparts and exhibit enhanced resistance against the microbicides. From the human perspective, biofilms can be classified into beneficial, neutral, and harmful. Harmful biofilms impact food safety, cause plant and animal diseases, and threaten medical fields, making it urgent to develop effective and robust strategies to control harmful biofilms. In this review, we discuss various strategies to control biofilm formation on infected tissues, implants, and medical devices. We classify the current strategies into three main categories: (i) changing the properties of susceptible surfaces to prevent biofilm formation; (ii) regulating signalling pathways to inhibit biofilm formation; (iii) applying external forces to eradicate the biofilm. We hope this review would motivate the development of innovative and effective strategies for controlling harmful biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Siyang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Yiting Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Yuling Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Shan-Ho Chou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Michael Y Galperin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jin He
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, PR China
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Matilla MA, Martín-Mora D, Krell T. The use of isothermal titration calorimetry to unravel chemotactic signalling mechanisms. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:3005-3019. [PMID: 32329116 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Chemotaxis is based on the action of chemosensory pathways and is typically initiated by the recognition of chemoeffectors at chemoreceptor ligand-binding domains (LBD). Chemosensory signalling is highly complex; aspect that is not only reflected in the intricate interaction between many signalling proteins but also in the fact that bacteria frequently possess multiple chemosensory pathways and often a large number of chemoreceptors, which are mostly of unknown function. We review here the usefulness of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) to study this complexity. ITC is the gold standard for studying binding processes due to its precision and sensitivity, as well as its capability to determine simultaneously the association equilibrium constant, enthalpy change and stoichiometry of binding. There is now evidence that members of all major LBD families can be produced as individual recombinant proteins that maintain their ligand-binding properties. High-throughput screening of these proteins using thermal shift assays offer interesting initial information on chemoreceptor ligands, providing the basis for microcalorimetric analyses and microbiological experimentation. ITC has permitted the identification and characterization of many chemoreceptors with novel specificities. This ITC-based approach can also be used to identify signal molecules that stimulate members of other families of sensor proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Matilla
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - David Martín-Mora
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
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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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