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Lee JH, Lee U, Yoo JH, Lee TS, Jung JH, Kim HS. AraDQ: an automated digital phenotyping software for quantifying disease symptoms of flood-inoculated Arabidopsis seedlings. PLANT METHODS 2024; 20:44. [PMID: 38493119 PMCID: PMC10943777 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-024-01171-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plant scientists have largely relied on pathogen growth assays and/or transcript analysis of stress-responsive genes for quantification of disease severity and susceptibility. These methods are destructive to plants, labor-intensive, and time-consuming, thereby limiting their application in real-time, large-scale studies. Image-based plant phenotyping is an alternative approach that enables automated measurement of various symptoms. However, most of the currently available plant image analysis tools require specific hardware platform and vendor specific software packages, and thus, are not suited for researchers who are not primarily focused on plant phenotyping. In this study, we aimed to develop a digital phenotyping tool to enhance the speed, accuracy, and reliability of disease quantification in Arabidopsis. RESULTS Here, we present the Arabidopsis Disease Quantification (AraDQ) image analysis tool for examination of flood-inoculated Arabidopsis seedlings grown on plates containing plant growth media. It is a cross-platform application program with a user-friendly graphical interface that contains highly accurate deep neural networks for object detection and segmentation. The only prerequisite is that the input image should contain a fixed-sized 24-color balance card placed next to the objects of interest on a white background to ensure reliable and reproducible results, regardless of the image acquisition method. The image processing pipeline automatically calculates 10 different colors and morphological parameters for individual seedlings in the given image, and disease-associated phenotypic changes can be easily assessed by comparing plant images captured before and after infection. We conducted two case studies involving bacterial and plant mutants with reduced virulence and disease resistance capabilities, respectively, and thereby demonstrated that AraDQ can capture subtle changes in plant color and morphology with a high level of sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS AraDQ offers a simple, fast, and accurate approach for image-based quantification of plant disease symptoms using various parameters. Its fully automated pipeline neither requires prior image processing nor costly hardware setups, allowing easy implementation of the software by researchers interested in digital phenotyping of diseased plants.
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Grants
- Grant No. 2022R1C1C1012137 The National Research Foundation of Korea
- Grant No. 421002-04) The Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry (IPET) and Korea Smart Farm R&D (KosFarm) through the Smart Farm Innovation Technology Development Program, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) and Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), Rural Development Administration (RDA)
- The Korea Institute of Planning and Evaluation for Technology in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry (IPET) and Korea Smart Farm R&D (KosFarm) through the Smart Farm Innovation Technology Development Program, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) and Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), Rural Development Administration (RDA)
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Hoon Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Unseok Lee
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, 25451, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hye Yoo
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, 25451, Republic of Korea
| | - Taek Sung Lee
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, 25451, Republic of Korea
| | - Je Hyeong Jung
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, 25451, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyoung Seok Kim
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, 25451, Republic of Korea.
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2
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Tubergen PJ, Medlock G, Moore A, Zhang X, Papin JA, Danna CH. A computational model of Pseudomonas syringae metabolism unveils a role for branched-chain amino acids in Arabidopsis leaf colonization. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011651. [PMID: 38150474 PMCID: PMC10775980 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens adapt their metabolism to the plant environment to successfully colonize their hosts. In our efforts to uncover the metabolic pathways that contribute to the colonization of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves by Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato DC3000 (Pst DC3000), we created iPst19, an ensemble of 100 genome-scale network reconstructions of Pst DC3000 metabolism. We developed a novel approach for gene essentiality screens, leveraging the predictive power of iPst19 to identify core and ancillary condition-specific essential genes. Constraining the metabolic flux of iPst19 with Pst DC3000 gene expression data obtained from naïve-infected or pre-immunized-infected plants, revealed changes in bacterial metabolism imposed by plant immunity. Machine learning analysis revealed that among other amino acids, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) metabolism significantly contributed to the overall metabolic status of each gene-expression-contextualized iPst19 simulation. These predictions were tested and confirmed experimentally. Pst DC3000 growth and gene expression analysis showed that BCAAs suppress virulence gene expression in vitro without affecting bacterial growth. In planta, however, an excess of BCAAs suppress the expression of virulence genes at the early stages of infection and significantly impair the colonization of Arabidopsis leaves. Our findings suggesting that BCAAs catabolism is necessary to express virulence and colonize the host. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into how plant immunity impacts Pst DC3000 metabolism, and how bacterial metabolism impacts the expression of virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J. Tubergen
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Greg Medlock
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Anni Moore
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Xiaomu Zhang
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Jason A. Papin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Cristian H. Danna
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
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3
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Zhang X, Tubergen PJ, Agorsor IDK, Khadka P, Tembe C, Denbow C, Collakova E, Pilot G, Danna CH. Elicitor-induced plant immunity relies on amino acids accumulation to delay the onset of bacterial virulence. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 192:601-615. [PMID: 36715647 PMCID: PMC10152640 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Plant immunity relies on the perception of microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) from invading microbes to induce defense responses that suppress attempted infections. It has been proposed that MAMP-triggered immunity (MTI) suppresses bacterial infections by suppressing the onset of bacterial virulence. However, the mechanisms by which plants exert this action are poorly understood. Here, we showed that MAMP perception in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) induces the accumulation of free amino acids in a salicylic acid (SA)-dependent manner. When co-infiltrated with Glutamine and Serine, two of the MAMP-induced highly accumulating amino acids, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 expressed low levels of virulence genes and failed to produce robust infections in otherwise susceptible plants. When applied exogenously, Glutamine and Serine directly suppressed bacterial virulence and growth, bypassing MAMP perception and SA signaling. In addition, an increased level of endogenous Glutamine in the leaf apoplast of a gain-of-function mutant of Glutamine Dumper-1 rescued the partially compromised bacterial virulence- and growth-suppressing phenotype of the SA-induced deficient-2 (sid2) mutant. Our data suggest that MTI suppresses bacterial infections by delaying the onset of virulence with an excess of amino acids at the early stages of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomu Zhang
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Philip J Tubergen
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Israel D K Agorsor
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, College of Agriculture & Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Pramod Khadka
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Connor Tembe
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Cynthia Denbow
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Eva Collakova
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Guillaume Pilot
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Cristian H Danna
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
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4
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Sattrapai N, Chaiprom U, Lindow SE, Chatnaparat T. A Phosphate Uptake System Is Required for Xanthomonas citri pv. glycines Virulence in Soybean. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2023; 36:261-272. [PMID: 36574016 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-11-22-0241-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The genes encoding the phosphate uptake system in Xanthomonas citri pv. glycines 12-2 were previously found to be upregulated when in soybean leaves. This study thus explored the role of the phosphate uptake system on its virulence to soybean. While phoB and pstSCAB mutants were greatly impaired in both inciting disease symptoms and growth in soybean, the virulence and growth in soybean of a phoU mutant was not reduced when compared with the wild-type strain. The expression of phoB and pstSCAB was highly induced in phosphate-deficient media. In addition, the expression of phoB, assessed with a fusion to a promoterless ice nucleation reporter gene, was greatly increased in soybean leaves, confirming that the soybean apoplast is a phosphorus-limited habitat for X. citri pv. glycines. Global gene expression profiles of phoB and phoU mutants of X. citri pv. glycines conducted under phosphate-limitation conditions in vitro, using RNA-seq, revealed that PhoB positively regulated genes involved in signal transduction, the xcs cluster type II secretion system, cell motility, and chemotaxis, while negatively regulating cell wall and membrane biogenesis, DNA replication and recombination and repair, and several genes with unknown function. PhoU also positively regulated the same genes involved in cell motility and chemotaxis. The severity of bacterial pustule disease was decreased in soybean plants grown under high phosphate fertilization conditions, demonstrating that high phosphate availability in soybean plants can affect infection by X. citri pv. glycines by modulation of the expression of phosphate uptake systems. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nutthakan Sattrapai
- Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center for Advanced Studies for Agriculture and Food (CASAF), Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Usawadee Chaiprom
- National Biobank of Thailand (NBT), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Steven E Lindow
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A
| | - Tiyakhon Chatnaparat
- Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center for Advanced Studies for Agriculture and Food (CASAF), Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
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5
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Type III Secretion System Repressor RhpR Induces GrlP, a Glycine-Rich Outer Membrane Lipoprotein with Functions in Regulating the Periplasmic Space and Pleiotropic Responses. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0158722. [PMID: 36602318 PMCID: PMC9888284 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01587-22] [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: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The two-component system RhpRS was initially identified as a regulator of genes encoding the type III secretion system (T3SS) in Pseudomonas syringae. Phosphorylated RhpR (P-RhpR) negatively regulates the T3SS genes by repressing the hrpR promoter, but directly activates the expression of a small gene named here as grlp. Here, we show that grlp is expressed higher in rich medium than in minimal medium in P. s. pv. tomato DC3000 and encodes a glycine rich lipoprotein (GrlP) located in the outer membrane (OM). The grlp gene has a pleiotropic effect on bacterial behaviors such as reductions in pathogenicity, swimming motility, biofilm formation, tolerance to various stresses and antibiotics, and long-term survival when overexpressed, but induces these responses when it is deleted in P. s. pv. tomato DC3000. Overexpression of grlp increases the size of periplasm while deletion of grlp decreases the periplasmic space. Further, GrlP interacts with OprI, the ortholog of E. coli OM lipoprotein Lpp, a key player in determining the size of periplasm and mechanic stiffness of the OM by tethering the OM to peptidoglycan (PG) in periplasm. As periplasmic space and OM mechanics play central roles in regulating bacterial physiology, we speculate that GrlP probably imposes its functions on bacterial physiology by regulating the periplasmic space and OM mechanics. These findings suggest that the T3SS gene regulation is closely coordinated with bacterial cell envelope properties by RhpRS in P. syringe. IMPORTANCE The OM of Gram-negative bacteria is the most front line in contact with extracellular milieu. OM is not only a protective layer, but also a structure that determines the envelope stiffness. Recent evidence indicated that components determining the periplasmic space and cross-links of lipopolysaccharide on the OM play key roles in regulating the mechanical properties of the OM. However, whether the OM composition and mechanical properties are coordinated with the expression of the T3SS genes is unknown. Here, we found that the two-component system (TCS) regulator P-RhpR, a direct repressor of the T3SS regulator hrpRS operon, directly activates the expression of the OM lipoprotein gene grlp bearing a function in regulating the periplasmic space. This finding suggests a coordination between the OM properties and the T3SS gene regulation and reveals a new target for control of the T3SS gene expression and bacterial pathogenicity.
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Antoszewski M, Mierek-Adamska A, Dąbrowska GB. The Importance of Microorganisms for Sustainable Agriculture-A Review. Metabolites 2022; 12:1100. [PMID: 36422239 PMCID: PMC9694901 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12111100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In the face of climate change, progressive degradation of the environment, including agricultural land negatively affecting plant growth and development, endangers plant productivity. Seeking efficient and sustainable agricultural techniques to replace agricultural chemicals is one of the most important challenges nowadays. The use of plant growth-promoting microorganisms is among the most promising approaches; however, molecular mechanisms underneath plant-microbe interactions are still poorly understood. In this review, we summarized the knowledge on plant-microbe interactions, highlighting the role of microbial and plant proteins and metabolites in the formation of symbiotic relationships. This review covers rhizosphere and phyllosphere microbiomes, the role of root exudates in plant-microorganism interactions, the functioning of the plant's immune system during the plant-microorganism interactions. We also emphasized the possible role of the stringent response and the evolutionarily conserved mechanism during the established interaction between plants and microorganisms. As a case study, we discussed fungi belonging to the genus Trichoderma. Our review aims to summarize the existing knowledge about plant-microorganism interactions and to highlight molecular pathways that need further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Agnieszka Mierek-Adamska
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100 Toruń, Poland
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7
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Bai K, Jiang N, Chen X, Xu X, Li J, Luo L. RNA-Seq Analysis Discovers the Critical Role of Rel in ppGpp Synthesis, Pathogenicity, and the VBNC State of Clavibacter michiganensis. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2022; 112:1844-1858. [PMID: 35341314 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-01-22-0023-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state is a unique survival strategy of bacteria in response to stress conditions. It was confirmed that Clavibacter michiganensis, the causal agent of bacterial canker in tomato, could be induced into the VBNC state by exposure to CuSO4 in an oligotrophic solution. RNA-sequencing analysis was used to monitor the mechanisms of the VBNC state during CuSO4 induction in C. michiganensis. The results identified that numerous genes involved in stringent response, copper resistance, and stress resistance were upregulated, and some involved in cell division were downregulated significantly. The study investigated the importance of Rel, which is an essential enzyme in the synthesis of the molecular alarmone ppGpp, via the generation of a Δrel mutant and its complementation strain. Biological characterization revealed that deficiency of rel reduced the bacterial growth, production of exopolysaccharides, and pathogenicity as well as ppGpp production. The Δrel mutant increased the sensitivity to environmental stress, exhibiting reduced growth on minimal media and a propensity to enter the VBNC state in response to CuSO4. These findings have important implications for the understanding of survival mechanism and management of C. michiganensis and other phytopathogenic bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaihong Bai
- Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Beijing, 100193, P.R. China
| | - Na Jiang
- Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Beijing, 100193, P.R. China
| | - Xing Chen
- Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Beijing, 100193, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoli Xu
- Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Beijing, 100193, P.R. China
| | - Jianqiang Li
- Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Beijing, 100193, P.R. China
| | - Laixin Luo
- Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, MOA Key Lab of Pest Monitoring and Green Management, Beijing, 100193, P.R. China
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Zhang X, Khadka P, Puchalski P, Leehan JD, Rossi FR, Okumoto S, Pilot G, Danna CH. MAMP-elicited changes in amino acid transport activity contribute to restricting bacterial growth. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 189:2315-2331. [PMID: 35579373 PMCID: PMC9342991 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Plants live under the constant challenge of microbes that probe the environment in search of potential hosts. Plant cells perceive microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) from incoming microbes and activate defense responses that suppress attempted infections. Despite the substantial progress made in understanding MAMP-triggered signaling pathways, the downstream mechanisms that suppress bacterial growth and disease remain poorly understood. Here, we uncover how MAMP perception in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) elicits dynamic changes in extracellular concentrations of free L-amino acids (AA). Within the first 3 h of MAMP perception, a fast and transient inhibition of AA uptake produces a transient increase in extracellular AA concentrations. Within 4 and 12 h of MAMP perception, a sustained enhanced uptake activity decreases the extracellular concentrations of AA. Gene expression analysis showed that salicylic acid-mediated signaling contributes to inducing the expression of AA/H+ symporters responsible for the MAMP-induced enhanced uptake. A screening of loss-of-function mutants identified the AA/H+ symporter lysin/histidine transporter-1 as an important contributor to MAMP-induced enhanced uptake of AA. Infection assays in lht1-1 seedlings revealed that high concentrations of extracellular AA promote bacterial growth in the absence of induced defense elicitation but contribute to suppressing bacterial growth upon MAMP perception. Overall, the data presented in this study reveal a mechanistic connection between MAMP-induced plant defense and suppression of bacterial growth through the modulation of AA transport activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomu Zhang
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
| | - Pramod Khadka
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
| | - Patryk Puchalski
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
| | - Joss D Leehan
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
| | - Franco R Rossi
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, USA
- Instituto Tecnológico Chascomús (INTECH), Universidad Nacional de General San Martín (UNSAM)—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Chascomús, Buenos Aires 7130, Argentina
| | | | - Guillaume Pilot
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
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Liu J, Zhang X, Deng S, Wang H, Zhao Y. Thiamine Is Required for Virulence and Survival of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 on Tomatoes. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:903258. [PMID: 35783427 PMCID: PMC9247456 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.903258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (PstDC3000) is an important plant pathogen that infects tomatoes and Arabidopsis. Thiamine and its derivative thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) are cofactors that play an important role in the growth and survival of many bacterial microorganisms. However, the role of thiamine-related genes has not been determined in PstDC3000. Hence, to investigate the role of TPP in growth, resistance to stresses, and virulence of PstDC3000, double and quadruple mutants of thiamine biosynthesis-related genes (thiD/E, thiS/G, and thiD/E/S/G deletion mutants) as well as a single mutant of a lipoprotein-related gene (apbE) were constructed. Our results showed that growth of the thiD/E, thiS/G, and thiD/E/S/G mutants in the mannitol-glutamate (MG) medium was significantly lower than that of the wild type (WT) and their growth could be restored to the WT level with the addition of exogenous thiamine, whereas mutation of the apbE gene did not affect its growth in vitro. While tolerance to acid, osmotic, and oxidative stresses for the double mutants was similar to the WT, tolerance to stresses for the apbE mutant was reduced as compared to the WT. In addition, all four mutants exhibited reduced virulence and growth in tomatoes. However, when the double and quadruple mutants were inoculated with exogenous thiamine, the virulence and growth rate of these mutants were restored to the WT level. These results indicated that the thiD/E, thiS/G, and thiD/E/S/G mutants exhibiting growth deficiency in planta are probably due to a lack of thiamine biosynthesis, thus reducing colonization in tomatoes. On the other hand, it is possible that the apbE mutant exhibited reduced stress tolerances, thus resulting in reduced colonization. Overall, our findings suggest that the thiamine biosynthetic (TBS) pathway plays an important role in the colonization and infection of PstDC3000. Therefore, the thiamine biosynthetic pathway could be used as the target to develop new control measures for a bacterial spot in tomatoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Fertilizer, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Crop Disease, Insect Pests and Weeds Control, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuejiang Zhang
- Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Fertilizer, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Crop Disease, Insect Pests and Weeds Control, Wuhan, China
| | - Siyi Deng
- Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Fertilizer, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Crop Disease, Insect Pests and Weeds Control, Wuhan, China
| | - Hua Wang
- Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Fertilizer, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Ministry of Agriculture, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Crop Disease, Insect Pests and Weeds Control, Wuhan, China
| | - Youfu Zhao
- Department of Plant Pathology, Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Prosser, WA, United States
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10
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Veetilvalappil VV, Aranjani JM, Mahammad FS, Joseph A. Awakening sleeper cells: a narrative review on bacterial magic spot synthetases as potential drug targets to overcome persistence. Curr Genet 2022; 68:49-60. [PMID: 34787710 PMCID: PMC8801413 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-021-01221-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/29/2022]
Abstract
Magic spot synthetases are emerging targets to overcome persistence caused by stringent response. The 'stringent response' is a bacterial stress survival mechanism, which results in the accumulation of alarmones (also called Magic spots) leading to the formation of dormant persister cells. These 'sleeper cells' evade antibiotic treatment and could result in relapse of infection. This review broadly investigates the phenomenon of stringent response and persistence, and specifically discusses the distribution, classification, and nomenclature of proteins such as Rel/SpoT homologs (RSH), responsible for alarmone synthesis. The authors further explain the relevance of RSH as potential drug targets to break the dormancy of persister cells commonly seen in biofilms. One of the significant factors that initiate alarmone synthesis is nutrient deficiency. In a starved condition, ribosome-associated RSH detects deacylated tRNA and initiates alarmone synthesis. Accumulation of alarmones has a considerable effect on bacterial physiology, virulence, biofilm formation, and persister cell formation. Preventing alarmone synthesis by inhibiting RSH responsible for alarmone synthesis will prevent or reduce persister cells' formation. Magic spot synthetases are thus potential targets that could be explored to overcome persistence seen in biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vimal Venu Veetilvalappil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Jesil Mathew Aranjani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka, 576104, India.
| | - Fayaz Shaik Mahammad
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Alex Joseph
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka, 576104, India
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11
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The Role of RelA and SpoT on ppGpp Production, Stress Response, Growth Regulation, and Pathogenicity in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. Microbiol Spectr 2021; 9:e0205721. [PMID: 34935430 PMCID: PMC8693919 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02057-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The alarmone ppGpp plays an important role in the survival of bacteria by triggering the stringent response when exposed to environmental stress. Although Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc), which causes black rot disease in crucifers, is a representative species of Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria, relatively little is known regarding the factors influencing the stringent response in this species. However, previous studies in other Gram-negative bacteria have indicated that RelA and SpoT play a critical role in ppGpp synthesis. The current study found that these proteins also had an important role in Xcc, with a ΔrelAΔspoT double mutant being unable to produce ppGpp, resulting in changes to phenotype including reduced production of exopolysaccharides (EPS), exoenzymes, and biofilm, as well the loss of swarming motility and pathogenicity. The ppGpp-deficient mutant also exhibited greater sensitivity to environment stress, being almost incapable of growth on modified minimal medium (mMM) and having a much greater propensity to enter the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state in response to oligotrophic conditions (0.85% NaCl). These findings much advance our understanding of the role of ppGpp in the biology of Xcc and could have important implications for more effective management of this important pathogen. IMPORTANCEXanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is a typical seedborne phytopathogenic bacterium that causes large economic losses worldwide, and this is the first original research article to investigate the role of ppGpp in this important species. Here, we revealed the function of RelA and SpoT in ppGpp production, physiology, pathogenicity, and stress resistance in Xcc. Most intriguingly, we found that ppGpp levels and downstream ppGpp-dependent phenotypes were mediated predominantly by SpoT, with RelA having only a supplementary role. Taken together, the results of the current study provide new insight into the role of ppGpp in the biology of Xcc, which could also have important implications for the role of ppGpp in the survival and pathogenicity of other pathogenic bacteria.
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Corral J, Pérez-Varela M, Sánchez-Osuna M, Cortés P, Barbé J, Aranda J. Importance of twitching and surface-associated motility in the virulence of Acinetobacter baumannii. Virulence 2021; 12:2201-2213. [PMID: 34515614 PMCID: PMC8451467 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1950268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a pathogen of increasing clinical importance worldwide, especially given its ability to readily acquire resistance determinants. Motile strains of this bacterium can move by either or both of two types of motility: (i) twitching, driven by type IV pili, and (ii) surface-associated motility, an appendage-independent form of movement. A. baumannii strain MAR002 possesses both twitching and surface-associated motility. In this study, we isolated spontaneous rifampin-resistant mutants of strain MAR002 in which point mutations in the rpoB gene were identified that resulted in an altered motility pattern. Transcriptomic analysis of mutants lacking twitching, surface-associated motility, or both led to the identification of deregulated genes within each motility phenotype, based on their level of expression and their biological function. Investigations of the corresponding knockout mutants revealed several genes involved in the motility of A. baumannii strain MAR002, including two involved in twitching (encoding a minor pilin subunit and an RND [resistance nodulation division] component), one in surface-associated motility (encoding an amino acid permease), and eight in both (encoding RND and ABC components, the energy transducer TonB, the porin OprD, the T6SS component TagF, an IclR transcriptional regulator, a PQQ-dependent sugar dehydrogenase, and a putative pectate lyase). Virulence assays showed the reduced pathogenicity of mutants with impairments in both types of motility or in surface-associated motility alone. By contrast, the virulence of twitching-affected mutants was not affected. These results shed light on the key role of surface-associated motility and the limited role of twitching in the pathogenicity of A. baumannii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Corral
- Departament De Genètica I Microbiologia, Facultat De Biociènces, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Pérez-Varela
- Departament De Genètica I Microbiologia, Facultat De Biociènces, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miquel Sánchez-Osuna
- Departament De Genètica I Microbiologia, Facultat De Biociènces, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pilar Cortés
- Departament De Genètica I Microbiologia, Facultat De Biociènces, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Barbé
- Departament De Genètica I Microbiologia, Facultat De Biociènces, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Aranda
- Departament De Genètica I Microbiologia, Facultat De Biociènces, Universitat Autònoma De Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Bai K, Chen X, Jiang N, Lyu Q, Li J, Luo L. Extraction and detection of guanosine 5'-diphosphate-3'-diphosphate in amino acid starvation cells of Clavibacter michiganensis. Braz J Microbiol 2021; 52:1573-1580. [PMID: 33837930 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-021-00488-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Guanosine 5'-diphosphate-3'-diphosphate (ppGpp) is a small molecule nucleotide alarmone that can accumulate under the amino acid starvation state and trigger the stringent response. This study reported the extraction of ppGpp from the Gram-positive bacteria Clavibacter michiganensis through methods using formic acid, lysozyme, or methanol. Following extraction, ppGpp was detected through ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The methanol method showed the highest extraction efficiency for ppGpp among the three methods tested. C. michiganensis cells in exponential growth phase was induced in amino acid starvation by serine hydroxamate (SHX) and used for ppGpp extraction and detection. When using the methanol extraction method, the results showed that ppGpp concentrations in SHX-treated samples were 15.645 nM, 17.656 nM, 20.372 nM, and 19.280 nM at 0 min, 15 min, 30 min and 1 h, respectively, when detected using LC-MS/MS. This is the first report on ppGpp extraction and detection in Clavibacter providing a new idea and approach for nucleotide detection and extraction in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaihong Bai
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Xing Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Na Jiang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingyang Lyu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianqiang Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China
| | - Laixin Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Seed Disease Testing and Control, Department of Plant Pathology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, People's Republic of China.
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Xie Y, Liu W, Shao X, Zhang W, Deng X. Signal transduction schemes in Pseudomonas syringae. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:3415-3424. [PMID: 33294136 PMCID: PMC7691447 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.10.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
To cope with their continually fluctuating surroundings, pathovars of the unicellular phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae have developed rapid and sophisticated signalling networks to sense extracellular stimuli, which allow them to adjust their cellular composition to survive and cause diseases in host plants. Comparative genomic analyses of P. syringae strains have identified various genes that encode several classes of signalling proteins, although how this bacterium directly perceives these environmental cues remains elusive. Recent work has revealed new mechanisms of a cluster of bacterial signal transduction systems that mainly include two-component systems (such as RhpRS, GacAS, CvsRS and AauRS), extracytoplasmic function sigma factors (such as HrpL and AlgU), nucleotide-based secondary messengers, methyl-accepting chemotaxis sensor proteins and several other intracellular surveillance systems. In this review, we compile a list of the signal transduction mechanisms that P. syringae uses to monitor and respond in a timely manner to intracellular and external conditions. Further understanding of these surveillance processes will provide new perspectives from which to combat P. syringae infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingpeng Xie
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong 999077, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Wenbao Liu
- College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Shandong Agriculture and Engineering University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Xiaolong Shao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong 999077, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Weihua Zhang
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Xin Deng
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong 999077, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.,Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518057, China
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Yuan X, Yu M, Yang CH. Innovation and Application of the Type III Secretion System Inhibitors in Plant Pathogenic Bacteria. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8121956. [PMID: 33317075 PMCID: PMC7764658 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8121956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Many Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria rely on a functional type III secretion system (T3SS), which injects multiple effector proteins into eukaryotic host cells, for their pathogenicity. Genetic studies conducted in different host-microbe pathosystems often revealed a sophisticated regulatory mechanism of their T3SSs, suggesting that the expression of T3SS is tightly controlled and constantly monitored by bacteria in response to the ever-changing host environment. Therefore, it is critical to understand the regulation of T3SS in pathogenic bacteria for successful disease management. This review focuses on a model plant pathogen, Dickeyadadantii, and summarizes the current knowledge of its T3SS regulation. We highlight the roles of several T3SS regulators that were recently discovered, including the transcriptional regulators: FlhDC, RpoS, and SlyA; the post-transcriptional regulators: PNPase, Hfq with its dependent sRNA ArcZ, and the RsmA/B system; and the bacterial second messenger cyclic-di-GMP (c-di-GMP). Homologs of these regulatory components have also been characterized in almost all major bacterial plant pathogens like Erwiniaamylovora, Pseudomonassyringae, Pectobacterium spp., Xanthomonas spp., and Ralstonia spp. The second half of this review shifts focus to an in-depth discussion of the innovation and development of T3SS inhibitors, small molecules that inhibit T3SSs, in the field of plant pathology. This includes T3SS inhibitors that are derived from plant phenolic compounds, plant coumarins, and salicylidene acylhydrazides. We also discuss their modes of action in bacteria and application for controlling plant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochen Yuan
- Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;
| | - Manda Yu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
- Correspondence: (M.Y.); (C.-H.Y.)
| | - Ching-Hong Yang
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
- Correspondence: (M.Y.); (C.-H.Y.)
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The Stringent Stress Response Controls Proteases and Global Regulators under Optimal Growth Conditions in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. mSystems 2020; 5:5/4/e00495-20. [PMID: 32753509 PMCID: PMC7406228 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00495-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms need to adapt rapidly to survive harsh environmental changes. Here, we showed the broad influence of the highly studied bacterial stringent stress response under nonstressful conditions that indicate its general physiological importance and might reflect the readiness of bacteria to respond to and activate acute stress responses. Using RNA-Seq to investigate the transcriptional network of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells revealed that >30% of all genes changed expression in a stringent response mutant under optimal growth conditions. This included genes regulated by global transcriptional regulators and novel downstream effectors. Our results help to understand the importance of this stress regulator in bacterial lifestyle under relatively unstressed conditions. As such, it draws attention to the consequences of targeting this ubiquitous bacterial signaling molecule. The bacterial stringent stress response, mediated by the signaling molecule guanosine tetraphosphate, ppGpp, has recently gained attention as being important during normal cellular growth and as a potential new therapeutic target, which warrants detailed mechanistic understanding. Here, we used intracellular protein tracking in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, which indicated that RelA was bound to the ribosome, while SpoT localized at the cell poles. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used to investigate the transcriptome of a ppGpp-deficient strain under nonstressful, nutrient-rich broth conditions where the mutant grew at the same rate as the parent strain. In the exponential growth phase, the lack of ppGpp led to >1,600 transcriptional changes (fold change cutoff of ±1.5), providing further novel insights into the normal physiological role of ppGpp. The stringent response was linked to gene expression of various proteases and secretion systems, including aprA, PA0277, impA, and clpP2. The previously observed reduction in cytotoxicity toward red blood cells in a stringent response mutant appeared to be due to aprA. Investigation of an aprA mutant in a murine skin infection model showed increased survival rates of mice infected with the aprA mutant, consistent with previous observations that stringent response mutants have reduced virulence. In addition, the overexpression of relA, but not induction of ppGpp with serine hydroxamate, dysregulated global transcriptional regulators as well as >30% of the regulatory networks controlled by AlgR, OxyR, LasR, and AmrZ. Together, these data expand our knowledge about ppGpp and its regulatory network and role in environmental adaptation. It also confirms its important role throughout the normal growth cycle of bacteria. IMPORTANCE Microorganisms need to adapt rapidly to survive harsh environmental changes. Here, we showed the broad influence of the highly studied bacterial stringent stress response under nonstressful conditions that indicate its general physiological importance and might reflect the readiness of bacteria to respond to and activate acute stress responses. Using RNA-Seq to investigate the transcriptional network of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells revealed that >30% of all genes changed expression in a stringent response mutant under optimal growth conditions. This included genes regulated by global transcriptional regulators and novel downstream effectors. Our results help to understand the importance of this stress regulator in bacterial lifestyle under relatively unstressed conditions. As such, it draws attention to the consequences of targeting this ubiquitous bacterial signaling molecule.
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Liu J, Yu M, Chatnaparat T, Lee JH, Tian Y, Hu B, Zhao Y. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of global gene expression mediated by (p) ppGpp reveals common regulatory networks in Pseudomonas syringae. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:296. [PMID: 32272893 PMCID: PMC7146990 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-6701-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pseudomonas syringae is an important plant pathogen, which could adapt many different environmental conditions. Under the nutrient-limited and other stress conditions, P. syringae produces nucleotide signal molecules, i.e., guanosine tetra/pentaphosphate ((p)ppGpp), to globally regulate gene expression. Previous studies showed that (p) ppGpp played an important role in regulating virulence factors in P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (PstDC3000) and P. syringae pv. syringae B728a (PssB728a). Here we present a comparative transcriptomic analysis to uncover the overall effects of (p)ppGpp-mediated stringent response in P. syringae. RESULTS In this study, we investigated global gene expression profiles of PstDC3000 and PssB728a and their corresponding (p)ppGpp0 mutants in hrp-inducing minimal medium (HMM) using RNA-seq. A total of 1886 and 1562 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were uncovered between the (p)ppGpp0 mutants and the wild-type in PstDC3000 and PssB728a, respectively. Comparative transcriptomics identified 1613 common DEGs, as well as 444 and 293 unique DEGs in PstDC3000 and PssB728a, respectively. Functional cluster analysis revealed that (p) ppGpp positively regulated a variety of virulence-associated genes, including type III secretion system (T3SS), type VI secretion system (T6SS), cell motility, cell division, and alginate biosynthesis, while negatively regulated multiple basic physiological processes, including DNA replication, RNA processes, nucleotide biosynthesis, fatty acid metabolism, ribosome protein biosynthesis, and amino acid metabolism in both PstDC3000 and PssB728a. Furthermore, (p) ppGpp had divergent effects on other processes in PstDC3000 and PssB728a, including phytotoxin, nitrogen regulation and general secretion pathway (GSP). CONCLUSION In this study, comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals common regulatory networks in both PstDC3000 and PssB728a mediated by (p) ppGpp in HMM. In both P. syringae systems, (p) ppGpp re-allocate cellular resources by suppressing multiple basic physiological activities and enhancing virulence gene expression, suggesting a balance between growth, survival and virulence. Our research is important in that due to similar global gene expression mediated by (p) ppGpp in both PstDC3000 and PssB728a, it is reasonable to propose that (p) ppGpp could be used as a target to develop novel control measures to fight against important plant bacterial diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Liu
- College of Plant Protection, Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P. R. China.,Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1201 W. Gregory Dr., Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Menghao Yu
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1201 W. Gregory Dr., Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Tiyakhon Chatnaparat
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1201 W. Gregory Dr., Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Jae Hoon Lee
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1201 W. Gregory Dr., Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Yanli Tian
- College of Plant Protection, Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P. R. China
| | - Baishi Hu
- College of Plant Protection, Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P. R. China.
| | - Youfu Zhao
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1201 W. Gregory Dr., Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
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Pletzer D, Sun E, Ritchie C, Wilkinson L, Liu LT, Trimble MJ, Wolfmeier H, Blimkie TM, Hancock REW. Surfing motility is a complex adaptation dependent on the stringent stress response in Pseudomonas aeruginosa LESB58. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008444. [PMID: 32208458 PMCID: PMC7122816 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects mucin-producing body organs such as the lungs. Characteristic of CF is the production of thick, viscous mucus, containing the glycoprotein mucin, that can lead to progressive airway obstruction. Recently, we demonstrated that the presence of mucin induced a rapid surface adaptation in motile bacteria termed surfing motility, which data presented here indicates is very different from swarming motility. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the main colonizing pathogen in CF, employs several stress coping mechanisms to survive the highly viscous environment of the CF lung. We used motility-based assays and RNA-Seq to study the stringent stress response in the hypervirulent CF isolate LESB58 (Liverpool Epidemic Strain). Motility experiments revealed that an LESB58 stringent response mutant (ΔrelAΔspoT) was unable to surf. Transcriptional profiling of ΔrelAΔspoT mutant cells from surfing agar plates, when compared to wild-type cells from the surfing edge, revealed 2,584 dysregulated genes. Gene Ontology and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed effects of the stringent response on amino acid, nucleic acid and fatty acid metabolism, TCA cycle and glycolysis, type VI secretion, as well as chemotaxis, cell communication, iron transport, nitrogen metabolic processes and cyclic-di-GMP signalling. Screening of the ordered PA14 transposon library revealed 224 mutants unable to surf and very limited overlap with genes required for swarming. Mutants affecting surfing included two downstream effector genes of the stringent stress response, the copper regulator cueR and the quinolone synthase pqsH. Both the cueR and pqsH cloned genes complemented the surfing deficiency of ΔrelAΔspoT. Our study revealed insights into stringent stress dependency in LESB58 and showed that surfing motility is stringently-controlled via the expression of cueR and pqsH. Downstream factors of the stringent stress response are important to investigate in order to fully understand its ability to colonize and persist in the CF lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Pletzer
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- * E-mail: (DP); (REWH)
| | - Evelyn Sun
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Caleb Ritchie
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Lauren Wilkinson
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Leo T. Liu
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Michael J. Trimble
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Heidi Wolfmeier
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Travis M. Blimkie
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Robert E. W. Hancock
- Centre for Microbial Diseases and Immunity Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- * E-mail: (DP); (REWH)
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Tumewu SA, Matsui H, Yamamoto M, Noutoshi Y, Toyoda K, Ichinose Y. Requirement of γ-Aminobutyric Acid Chemotaxis for Virulence of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci 6605. Microbes Environ 2020; 35:ME20114. [PMID: 33162464 PMCID: PMC7734410 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me20114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a widely distributed non-proteinogenic amino acid that accumulates in plants under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Recent studies suggested that GABA also functions as an intracellular signaling molecule in plants and in signals mediating interactions between plants and phytopathogenic bacteria. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying GABA responses to bacterial pathogens remain unknown. In the present study, a GABA receptor, named McpG, was conserved in the highly motile plant-pathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci 6605 (Pta6605). We generated a deletion mutant of McpG to further investigate its involvement in GABA chemotaxis using quantitative capillary and qualitative plate assays. The wild-type strain of Pta6605 was attracted to GABA, while the ΔmcpG mutant abolished chemotaxis to 10 mM GABA. However, ΔmcpG retained chemotaxis to proteinogenic amino acids and succinic semialdehyde, a structural analog of GABA. Furthermore, ΔmcpG was unable to effectively induce disease on host tobacco plants in three plant inoculation assays: flood, dip, and infiltration inoculations. These results revealed that the GABA sensing of Pta6605 is important for the interaction of Pta6605 with its host tobacco plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephany Angelia Tumewu
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Tsushima-naka 1–1–1, Kita-ku, Okayama 700–8530, Japan
| | - Hidenori Matsui
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Tsushima-naka 1–1–1, Kita-ku, Okayama 700–8530, Japan
| | - Mikihiro Yamamoto
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Tsushima-naka 1–1–1, Kita-ku, Okayama 700–8530, Japan
| | - Yoshiteru Noutoshi
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Tsushima-naka 1–1–1, Kita-ku, Okayama 700–8530, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Toyoda
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Tsushima-naka 1–1–1, Kita-ku, Okayama 700–8530, Japan
| | - Yuki Ichinose
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Tsushima-naka 1–1–1, Kita-ku, Okayama 700–8530, Japan
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Zhang Y, Teper D, Xu J, Wang N. Stringent response regulators (p)ppGpp and DksA positively regulate virulence and host adaptation of Xanthomonas citri. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2019; 20:1550-1565. [PMID: 31621195 PMCID: PMC6804348 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The bacterial stringent response is a response to nutrition deprivation and other stress conditions. In Gram-negative bacteria, this process is mediated by the small signal molecules guanosine pentaphosphate pppGpp and guanosine tetraphosphate ppGpp (collectively referred to as (p)ppGpp), and the RNA polymerase-binding transcription factor DksA. The (p)ppGpp synthetase RelA and the bifunctional (p)ppGpp synthase/hydrolase SpoT are responsible for cellular (p)ppGpp levels. Here, we investigated the roles of DksA and (p)ppGpp in the virulence traits of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc), the causal agent of citrus canker. ΔdksA and (p)ppGpp-deficient ΔspoTΔrelA strains caused reduced virulence and compromised growth in host plants, indicating that DksA and (p)ppGpp are required for full virulence of Xcc. To characterize the effect of stringent response regulators on gene expression, RNA-seq was conducted using ΔdksA and ΔspoTΔrelA mutant strains grown in hrp-inducing XVM2 medium. Transcriptome analyses showed that DksA and (p)ppGpp repressed the expression of genes encoding tRNAs, ribosome proteins, iron acquisition and flagellum assembly, and enhanced the expression of genes for histidine metabolism, type 3 secretion system (T3SS), type 2 secretion system (T2SS) and TonB-dependent transporters. Phenotypically, the ΔdksA and ΔspoTΔrelA strains displayed altered motility, enhanced siderophore production and were unable to cause the hypersensitive response on non-host plants. In conclusion, stringent response regulators DksA and (p)ppGpp play an important role in virulence, nutrition uptake and host adaptation of Xcc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Zhang
- Citrus Research and Education CenterDepartment of Microbiology and Cell ScienceInstitute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of FloridaLake Alfred33850 FLUnited States
| | - Doron Teper
- Citrus Research and Education CenterDepartment of Microbiology and Cell ScienceInstitute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of FloridaLake Alfred33850 FLUnited States
| | - Jin Xu
- Citrus Research and Education CenterDepartment of Microbiology and Cell ScienceInstitute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of FloridaLake Alfred33850 FLUnited States
| | - Nian Wang
- Citrus Research and Education CenterDepartment of Microbiology and Cell ScienceInstitute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of FloridaLake Alfred33850 FLUnited States
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Ge Y, Lee JH, Liu J, Yang H, Tian Y, Hu B, Zhao Y. Homologues of the RNA binding protein RsmA in Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 exhibit distinct binding affinities with non-coding small RNAs and have distinct roles in virulence. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2019; 20:1217-1236. [PMID: 31218814 PMCID: PMC6715622 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (PstDC3000) contains five RsmA protein homologues. In this study, four were functionally characterized, with a focus on RsmA2, RsmA3 and RsmA4. RNA electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that RsmA1 and RsmA4 exhibited similar low binding affinities to non-coding small RNAs (ncsRNAs), whereas RsmA2 and RsmA3 exhibited similar, but much higher, binding affinities to ncsRNAs. Our results showed that both RsmA2 and RsmA3 were required for disease symptom development and bacterial growth in planta by significantly affecting virulence gene expression. All four RsmA proteins, especially RsmA2 and RsmA3, influenced γ-amino butyric acid utilization and pyoverdine production to some degree, whereas RsmA2, RsmA3 and RsmA4 influenced protease activities. A single RsmA, RsmA3, played a dominant role in regulating motility. Furthermore, reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR and western blot results showed that RsmA proteins, especially RsmA2 and RsmA3, regulated target genes and possibly other RsmA proteins at both transcriptional and translational levels. These results indicate that RsmA proteins in PstDC3000 exhibit distinct binding affinities to ncsRNAs and have distinct roles in virulence. Our results also suggest that RsmA proteins in PstDC3000 interact with each other, where RsmA2 and RsmA3 play a major role in regulating various functions in a complex manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Ge
- College of Plant Protection and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and PestsNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing210095P. R. China
- Department of Crop SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIL61801USA
| | - Jae Hoon Lee
- Department of Crop SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIL61801USA
| | - Jun Liu
- College of Plant Protection and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and PestsNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing210095P. R. China
- Department of Crop SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIL61801USA
| | - Ho‐wen Yang
- Department of Crop SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIL61801USA
| | - Yanli Tian
- College of Plant Protection and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and PestsNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing210095P. R. China
| | - Baishi Hu
- College of Plant Protection and Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and PestsNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing210095P. R. China
| | - Youfu Zhao
- Department of Crop SciencesUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIL61801USA
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22
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Sonawala U, Dinkeloo K, Danna CH, McDowell JM, Pilot G. Review: Functional linkages between amino acid transporters and plant responses to pathogens. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 277:79-88. [PMID: 30466603 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2018.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 08/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Upon infection, plant pathogens become dependent on their hosts for nutrition. Therefore, the interaction between the two organisms is tightly linked to the availability and flux of nutrients in the plant. The plant's nitrogen metabolism is reprogrammed during pathogen attack, likely reflecting plant's response to invasion by the pathogen and active modification by the pathogen to promote feeding. Several lines of evidence indicate that plant-derived amino acids are an important source of nitrogen for diverse pathogens. Moreover, amino acid homeostasis is interconnected with the plant's immune signaling pathways. Here, we critically examine the knowns and unknowns about connections between plant-encoded amino acid transporters and resistance or susceptibility to pathogens and pests. We use recent insights into sugar transporters to frame a perspective with potential applicability to amino acids and other nutrients. We emphasize different approaches that have provided insight in this topic and we conclude with suggestions to fill gaps in foundational knowledge and explore new avenues for disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Unnati Sonawala
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24060 VA, USA
| | - Kasia Dinkeloo
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24060 VA, USA
| | - Cristian H Danna
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - John M McDowell
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24060 VA, USA.
| | - Guillaume Pilot
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24060 VA, USA.
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23
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Tapscott T, Kim JS, Crawford MA, Fitzsimmons L, Liu L, Jones-Carson J, Vázquez-Torres A. Guanosine tetraphosphate relieves the negative regulation of Salmonella pathogenicity island-2 gene transcription exerted by the AT-rich ssrA discriminator region. Sci Rep 2018; 8:9465. [PMID: 29930310 PMCID: PMC6013443 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27780-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The repressive activity of ancestral histone-like proteins helps integrate transcription of foreign genes with discrepant AT content into existing regulatory networks. Our investigations indicate that the AT-rich discriminator region located between the −10 promoter element and the transcription start site of the regulatory gene ssrA plays a distinct role in the balanced expression of the Salmonella pathogenicity island-2 (SPI2) type III secretion system. The RNA polymerase-binding protein DksA activates the ssrAB regulon post-transcriptionally, whereas the alarmone guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) relieves the negative regulation imposed by the AT-rich ssrA discriminator region. An increase in the GC-content of the ssrA discriminator region enhances ssrAB transcription and SsrB translation, thus activating the expression of downstream SPI2 genes. A Salmonella strain expressing a GC-rich ssrA discriminator region is attenuated in mice and grows poorly intracellularly. The combined actions of ppGpp and DksA on SPI2 expression enable Salmonella to grow intracellularly, and cause disease in a murine model of infection. Collectively, these findings indicate that (p)ppGpp relieves the negative regulation associated with the AT-rich discriminator region in the promoter of the horizontally-acquired ssrA gene, whereas DksA activates ssrB gene expression post-transcriptionally. The combined effects of (p)ppGpp and DksA on the ssrAB locus facilitate a balanced SPI2 virulence gene transcription that is essential for Salmonella pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Tapscott
- Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ju-Sim Kim
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Matthew A Crawford
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Liam Fitzsimmons
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Lin Liu
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jessica Jones-Carson
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA.,Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Andrés Vázquez-Torres
- Molecular Biology Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA. .,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA. .,Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, CO, USA.
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24
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Smith A, Lovelace AH, Kvitko BH. Validation of RT-qPCR Approaches to Monitor Pseudomonas syringae Gene Expression During Infection and Exposure to Pattern-Triggered Immunity. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2018; 31:410-419. [PMID: 29436925 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-11-17-0270-ta] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 is an important model plant pathogen, with a fully annotated genome and multiple compatible plant hosts. Very few studies have examined the regulation of DC3000 gene expression in vivo. We developed a quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay to monitor transcriptional changes in DC3000 inoculated into Arabidopsis thaliana leaves during disease and exposure to pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). In our approach, bacterial RNA concentrations in total tissue RNA are standardized using P. syringae-specific 16S ribosomal RNA primers. We validated multiple stable reference genes for normalization in calculating the relative expression of genes of interest. We used empirically derived rates of amplification efficiency to calculate relative expression of key marker genes for virulence-associated regulation. We demonstrated that exposure to PTI alters DC3000 expression of type III secretion system, coronatine synthesis genes, and flagellar marker genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Smith
- 1 Department of Plant Pathology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, U.S.A.; and
| | - Amelia H Lovelace
- 1 Department of Plant Pathology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, U.S.A.; and
| | - Brian H Kvitko
- 1 Department of Plant Pathology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, U.S.A.; and
- 2 The Plant Center, University of Georgia
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25
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Shidore T, Triplett LR. Toxin-Antitoxin Systems: Implications for Plant Disease. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2017; 55:161-179. [PMID: 28525308 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-phyto-080516-035559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are gene modules that are ubiquitous in free-living prokaryotes. Diverse in structure, cellular function, and fitness roles, TA systems are defined by the presence of a toxin gene that suppresses bacterial growth and a toxin-neutralizing antitoxin gene, usually encoded in a single operon. Originally viewed as DNA maintenance modules, TA systems are now thought to function in many roles, including bacterial stress tolerance, virulence, phage defense, and biofilm formation. However, very few studies have investigated the significance of TA systems in the context of plant-microbe interactions. This review discusses the potential impact and application of TA systems in plant-associated bacteria, guided by insights gained from animal-pathogenic model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Shidore
- Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut 06511:
| | - L R Triplett
- Department of Plant Pathology and Ecology, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut 06511:
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26
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Mutations in the β-Subunit of the RNA Polymerase Impair the Surface-Associated Motility and Virulence of Acinetobacter baumannii. Infect Immun 2017; 85:IAI.00327-17. [PMID: 28507065 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00327-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a major cause of antibiotic-resistant nosocomial infections worldwide. In this study, several rifampin-resistant spontaneous mutants obtained from the A. baumannii ATCC 17978 strain that differed in their point mutations in the rpoB gene, encoding the β-subunit of the RNA polymerase, were isolated. All the mutants harboring amino acid substitutions in position 522 or 540 of the RpoB protein were impaired in surface-associated motility and had attenuated virulence in the fertility model of Caenorhabditis elegans The transcriptional profile of these mutants included six downregulated genes encoding proteins homologous to transporters and metabolic enzymes widespread among A. baumannii clinical isolates. The construction of knockout mutants in each of the six downregulated genes revealed a significant reduction in the surface-associated motility and virulence of four of them in the A. baumannii ATCC 17978 strain, as well as in the virulent clinical isolate MAR002. Taken together, our results provide strong evidence of the connection between motility and virulence in this multiresistant nosocomial pathogen.
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27
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Preston GM. Profiling the extended phenotype of plant pathogens: Challenges in Bacterial Molecular Plant Pathology. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2017; 18:443-456. [PMID: 28026146 PMCID: PMC6638297 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Revised: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
One of the most fundamental questions in plant pathology is what determines whether a pathogen grows within a plant? This question is frequently studied in terms of the role of elicitors and pathogenicity factors in the triggering or overcoming of host defences. However, this focus fails to address the basic question of how the environment in host tissues acts to support or restrict pathogen growth. Efforts to understand this aspect of host-pathogen interactions are commonly confounded by several issues, including the complexity of the plant environment, the artificial nature of many experimental infection systems and the fact that the physiological properties of a pathogen growing in association with a plant can be very different from the properties of the pathogen in culture. It is also important to recognize that the phenotype and evolution of pathogen and host are inextricably linked through their interactions, such that the environment experienced by a pathogen within a host, and its phenotype within the host, is a product of both its interaction with its host and its evolutionary history, including its co-evolution with host plants. As the phenotypic properties of a pathogen within a host cannot be defined in isolation from the host, it may be appropriate to think of pathogens as having an 'extended phenotype' that is the product of their genotype, host interactions and population structure within the host environment. This article reflects on the challenge of defining and studying this extended phenotype, in relation to the questions posed below, and considers how knowledge of the phenotype of pathogens in the host environment could be used to improve disease control. What determines whether a pathogen grows within a plant? What aspects of pathogen biology should be considered in describing the extended phenotype of a pathogen within a host? How can we study the extended phenotype in ways that provide insights into the phenotypic properties of pathogens during natural infections?
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail M. Preston
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of OxfordSouth Parks RoadOxfordOX1 3RBUK
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28
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McCraw SL, Park DH, Jones R, Bentley MA, Rico A, Ratcliffe RG, Kruger NJ, Collmer A, Preston GM. GABA (γ-Aminobutyric Acid) Uptake Via the GABA Permease GabP Represses Virulence Gene Expression in Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2016; 29:938-949. [PMID: 28001093 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-08-16-0172-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The nonprotein amino acid γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the most abundant amino acid in the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaf apoplast and is synthesized by Arabidopsis thaliana in response to infection by the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (hereafter called DC3000). High levels of exogenous GABA have previously been shown to repress the expression of the type III secretion system (T3SS) in DC3000, resulting in reduced elicitation of the hypersensitive response (HR) in the nonhost plant tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). This study demonstrates that the GABA permease GabP provides the primary mechanism for GABA uptake by DC3000 and that the gabP deletion mutant ΔgabP is insensitive to GABA-mediated repression of T3SS expression. ΔgabP displayed an enhanced ability to elicit the HR in young tobacco leaves and in tobacco plants engineered to produce increased levels of GABA, which supports the hypothesis that GABA uptake via GabP acts to regulate T3SS expression in planta. The observation that P. syringae can be rendered insensitive to GABA through loss of gabP but that gabP is retained by this bacterium suggests that GabP is important for DC3000 in a natural setting, either for nutrition or as a mechanism for regulating gene expression. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
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Affiliation(s)
- S L McCraw
- 1 Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, U.K
| | - D H Park
- 2 Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Republic of Korea
| | - R Jones
- 1 Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, U.K
| | - M A Bentley
- 1 Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, U.K
| | - A Rico
- 3 Departamento de Didáctica de la 9 Matemática y de las Ciencias Experimentales, Faculty of Education and Sport, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Juan Ibañez de Sto. Domingo 1, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; and
| | - R G Ratcliffe
- 1 Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, U.K
| | - N J Kruger
- 1 Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, U.K
| | - A Collmer
- 4 School of Integrative Plant Science, Section of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, U.S.A
| | - G M Preston
- 1 Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, U.K
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29
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Sundin GW, Wang N, Charkowski AO, Castiblanco LF, Jia H, Zhao Y. Perspectives on the Transition From Bacterial Phytopathogen Genomics Studies to Applications Enhancing Disease Management: From Promise to Practice. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2016; 106:1071-1082. [PMID: 27183301 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-03-16-0117-fi] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The advent of genomics has advanced science into a new era, providing a plethora of "toys" for researchers in many related and disparate fields. Genomics has also spawned many new fields, including proteomics and metabolomics, furthering our ability to gain a more comprehensive view of individual organisms and of interacting organisms. Genomic information of both bacterial pathogens and their hosts has provided the critical starting point in understanding the molecular bases of how pathogens disrupt host cells to cause disease. In addition, knowledge of the complete genome sequence of the pathogen provides a potentially broad slate of targets for the development of novel virulence inhibitors that are desperately needed for disease management. Regarding plant bacterial pathogens and disease management, the potential for utilizing genomics resources in the development of durable resistance is enhanced because of developing technologies that enable targeted modification of the host. Here, we summarize the role of genomics studies in furthering efforts to manage bacterial plant diseases and highlight novel genomics-enabled strategies heading down this path.
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Affiliation(s)
- George W Sundin
- First and fourth authors: Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing; second and fifth authors: Citrus Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, University of Florida, Lake Alfred; third author: Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison; sixth author: Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
| | - Nian Wang
- First and fourth authors: Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing; second and fifth authors: Citrus Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, University of Florida, Lake Alfred; third author: Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison; sixth author: Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
| | - Amy O Charkowski
- First and fourth authors: Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing; second and fifth authors: Citrus Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, University of Florida, Lake Alfred; third author: Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison; sixth author: Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
| | - Luisa F Castiblanco
- First and fourth authors: Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing; second and fifth authors: Citrus Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, University of Florida, Lake Alfred; third author: Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison; sixth author: Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
| | - Hongge Jia
- First and fourth authors: Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing; second and fifth authors: Citrus Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, University of Florida, Lake Alfred; third author: Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison; sixth author: Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
| | - Youfu Zhao
- First and fourth authors: Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing; second and fifth authors: Citrus Research and Education Center, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, University of Florida, Lake Alfred; third author: Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison; sixth author: Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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30
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Lee JH, Sundin GW, Zhao Y. Identification of the HrpS binding site in the hrpL promoter and effect of the RpoN binding site of HrpS on the regulation of the type III secretion system in Erwinia amylovora. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2016; 17:691-702. [PMID: 26440313 PMCID: PMC6638409 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The type III secretion system (T3SS) is a key pathogenicity factor in Erwinia amylovora. Previous studies have demonstrated that the T3SS in E. amylovora is transcriptionally regulated by an RpoN-HrpL sigma factor cascade, which is activated by the bacterial alarmone (p)ppGpp. In this study, the binding site of HrpS, an enhancer binding protein, was identified for the first time in plant-pathogenic bacteria. Complementation of the hrpL mutant with promoter deletion constructs of the hrpL gene and promoter activity analyses using various lengths of the hrpL promoter fused to a promoter-less green fluorescent protein (gfp) reporter gene delineated the upstream region for HrpS binding. Sequence analysis revealed a dyad symmetry sequence between -138 and -125 nucleotides (TGCAA-N4-TTGCA) as the potential HrpS binding site, which is conserved in the promoter of the hrpL gene among plant enterobacterial pathogens. Results of quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and electrophoresis mobility shift assay coupled with site-directed mutagenesis (SDM) analysis showed that the intact dyad symmetry sequence was essential for HrpS binding, full activation of T3SS gene expression and virulence. In addition, the role of the GAYTGA motif (RpoN binding site) of HrpS in the regulation of T3SS gene expression in E. amylovora was characterized by complementation of the hrpS mutant using mutant variants generated by SDM. Results showed that a Y100F substitution of HrpS complemented the hrpS mutant, whereas Y100A and Y101A substitutions did not. These results suggest that tyrosine (Y) and phenylalanine (F) function interchangeably in the conserved GAYTGA motif of HrpS in E. amylovora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Hoon Lee
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - George W Sundin
- Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Youfu Zhao
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
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31
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Li G, Xie F, Zhang Y, Bossé JT, Langford PR, Wang C. Role of (p)ppGpp in Viability and Biofilm Formation of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae S8. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141501. [PMID: 26509499 PMCID: PMC4624843 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is a Gram-negative bacterium and the cause of porcine pleuropneumonia. When the bacterium encounters nutritional starvation, the relA-dependent (p)ppGpp-mediated stringent response is activated. The modified nucleotides guanosine 5’-diphosphate 3’-diphosphate (ppGpp) and guanosine 5’-triphosphate 3’-diphosphate (pppGpp) are known to be signaling molecules in other prokaryotes. Here, to investigate the role of (p)ppGpp in A. pleuropneumoniae, we created a mutant A. pleuropneumoniae strain, S8ΔrelA, which lacks the (p)ppGpp-synthesizing enzyme RelA, and investigated its phenotype in vitro. S8ΔrelA did not survive after stationary phase (starvation condition) and grew exclusively as non-extended cells. Compared to the wild-type (WT) strain, the S8ΔrelA mutant had an increased ability to form a biofilm. Transcriptional profiles of early stationary phase cultures revealed that a total of 405 bacterial genes were differentially expressed (including 380 up-regulated and 25 down-regulated genes) in S8ΔrelA as compared with the WT strain. Most of the up-regulated genes are involved in ribosomal structure and biogenesis, amino acid transport and metabolism, translation cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis. The data indicate that (p)ppGpp coordinates the growth, viability, morphology, biofilm formation and metabolic ability of A. pleuropneumoniae in starvation conditions. Furthermore, S8ΔrelA could not use certain sugars nor produce urease which has been associated with the virulence of A. pleuropneumoniae, suggesting that (p)ppGpp may directly or indirectly affect the pathogenesis of A. pleuropneumoniae during the infection process. In summary, (p)ppGpp signaling represents an essential component of the regulatory network governing stress adaptation and virulence in A. pleuropneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Li
- Division of Bacterial Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Fang Xie
- Division of Bacterial Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Yanhe Zhang
- Division of Bacterial Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Janine T. Bossé
- Section of Paediatrics, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, St. Mary’s Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul R. Langford
- Section of Paediatrics, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, St. Mary’s Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Chunlai Wang
- Division of Bacterial Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
- * E-mail:
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