Functional analysis of the N terminus of the Erwinia amylovora secreted effector DspA/E reveals features required for secretion, translocation, and binding to the chaperone DspB/F

Comparative sequence analysis of pPATH pathogenicity plasmids in Pantoea agglomerans gall-forming bacteria

Acquisition of the pathogenicity plasmid pPATH that encodes a type III secretion system (T3SS) and effectors (T3Es) has likely led to the transition of a non-pathogenic bacterium into the tumorigenic pathogen Pantoea agglomerans. P. agglomerans pv. gypsophilae (Pag) forms galls on gypsophila (Gypsophila paniculata) and triggers immunity on sugar beet (Beta vulgaris), while P. agglomerans pv. betae (Pab) causes galls on both gypsophila and sugar beet. Draft sequences of the Pag and Pab genomes were previously generated using the MiSeq Illumina technology and used to determine partial T3E inventories of Pab and Pag. Here, we fully assembled the Pab and Pag genomes following sequencing with PacBio technology and carried out a comparative sequence analysis of the Pab and Pag pathogenicity plasmids pPATHpag and pPATHpab. Assembly of Pab and Pag genomes revealed a ~4 Mbp chromosome with a 55% GC content, and three and four plasmids in Pab and Pag, respectively. pPATHpag and pPATHpab share 97% identity within a 74% coverage, and a similar GC content (51%); they are ~156 kb and ~131 kb in size and consist of 198 and 155 coding sequences (CDSs), respectively. In both plasmids, we confirmed the presence of highly similar gene clusters encoding a T3SS, as well as auxin and cytokinins biosynthetic enzymes. Three putative novel T3Es were identified in Pab and one in Pag. Among T3SS-associated proteins encoded by Pag and Pab, we identified two novel chaperons of the ShcV and CesT families that are present in both pathovars with high similarity. We also identified insertion sequences (ISs) and transposons (Tns) that may have contributed to the evolution of the two pathovars. These include seven shared IS elements, and three ISs and two transposons unique to Pab. Finally, comparative sequence analysis revealed plasmid regions and CDSs that are present only in pPATHpab or in pPATHpag. The high similarity and common features of the pPATH plasmids support the hypothesis that the two strains recently evolved into host-specific pathogens.

Expression of the Type III Secretion System Genes in Epiphytic Erwinia amylovora Cells on Apple Stigmas Benefits Endophytic Infection at the Hypanthium

Erwinia amylovora causes fire blight on rosaceous plants. One of the major entry points of E. amylovora into hosts is flowers, where E. amylovora proliferates epiphytically on stigmatic and hypanthium surfaces and, subsequently, causes endophytic infection at the hypanthium. The type III secretion system (T3SS) is an important virulence factor in E. amylovora. Although the role of T3SS during endophytic infection is well characterized, its expression during epiphytic colonization and role in the subsequent infection is less understood. Here, we investigated T3SS gene expression in epiphytic E. amylovora on stigma and hypanthium of apple flowers under different relative humidities (RH). On stigma surfaces, T3SS was expressed in a high percentage of E. amylovora cells, and its expression promoted epiphytic growth. On hypanthium surfaces, however, T3SS was expressed in fewer E. amylovora cells than on the stigma, and displayed no correlation with epiphytic growth, even though T3SS expression is essential for infection. E. amylovora cells grown on stigmatic surfaces and then flushed down to the hypanthium displayed a higher level of T3SS expression than cells grown on the hypanthium surface alone. Furthermore, E. amylovora cells precultured on stigma had a higher potential to infect flowers than E. amylovora cells precultured in a T3SS-repressive medium. This suggests that T3SS induction during the stigmatic epiphytic colonization may be beneficial for subsequent infection. Finally, epiphytic expression of T3SS was influenced by RH. Higher percentage of stigmatic E. amylovora cells expressed T3SS under high RH than under low RH.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Orchestration of virulence factor expression and modulation of biofilm dispersal in Erwinia amylovora through activation of the Hfq-dependent small RNA RprA

Erwinia amylovora is the causative agent of the devastating disease fire blight of pome fruit trees. After infection of host plant leaves at apple shoot tips, E. amylovora cells form biofilms in xylem vessels, restrict water flow, and cause wilting symptoms. Although E. amylovora is well known to be able to cause systemic infection, how biofilm cells of E. amylovora transit from the sessile mode of growth in xylem to the planktonic mode of growth in cortical parenchyma remains unknown. Increasing evidence has suggested the important modulatory roles of Hfq-dependent small RNAs (sRNAs) in the pathogenesis of E. amylovora. Here, we demonstrate that the sRNA RprA acts as a positive regulator of amylovoran exopolysaccharide production, the type III secretion system (T3SS), and flagellar-dependent motility, and as a negative regulator of levansucrase activity and cellulose production. We also show that RprA affects the promoter activity of multiple virulence factor genes and regulates hrpS, a critical T3SS regulator, at the posttranscriptional level. We determined that rprA expression can be activated by the Rcs phosphorelay, and that expression is active during T3SS-mediated host infection in an immature pear fruit infection model. We further showed that overexpression of rprA activated the in vitro dispersal of E. amylovora cells from biofilms. Thus, our investigation of the varied role of RprA in affecting E. amylovora virulence provides important insights into the functions of this sRNA in biofilm control and systemic infection.

Phosphodiesterase Genes Regulate Amylovoran Production, Biofilm Formation, and Virulence in Erwinia amylovora

Cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) is a ubiquitous bacterial second messenger molecule that is an important virulence regulator in the plant pathogen Erwinia amylovora Intracellular levels of c-di-GMP are modulated by diguanylate cyclase (DGC) enzymes that synthesize c-di-GMP and by phosphodiesterase (PDE) enzymes that degrade c-di-GMP. The regulatory role of the PDE enzymes in E. amylovora has not been determined. Using a combination of single, double, and triple deletion mutants, we determined the effects of each of the four putative PDE-encoding genes (pdeA, pdeB, pdeC, and edcA) in E. amylovora on cellular processes related to virulence. Our results indicate that pdeA and pdeC are the two phosphodiesterases most active in virulence regulation in E. amylovora Ea1189. The deletion of pdeC resulted in a measurably significant increase in the intracellular pool of c-di-GMP, and the highest intracellular concentrations of c-di-GMP were observed in the Ea1189 ΔpdeAC and Ea1189 ΔpdeABC mutants. The regulation of virulence traits due to the deletion of the pde genes showed two patterns. A stronger regulatory effect was observed on amylovoran production and biofilm formation, where both Ea1189 ΔpdeA and Ea1189 ΔpdeC mutants exhibited significant increases in these two phenotypes in vitro In contrast, the deletion of two or more pde genes was required to affect motility and virulence phenotypes. Our results indicate a functional redundancy among the pde genes in E. amylovora for certain traits and indicate that the intracellular degradation of c-di-GMP is mainly regulated by pdeA and pdeC, but they also suggest a role for pdeB in regulating motility and virulence.IMPORTANCE Precise control of the expression of virulence genes is essential for successful infection of apple hosts by the fire blight pathogen, Erwinia amylovora The presence and buildup of a signaling molecule called cyclic di-GMP enables the expression and function of some virulence determinants in E. amylovora, such as amylovoran production and biofilm formation. However, other determinants, such as those for motility and the type III secretion system, are expressed and functional when cyclic di-GMP is absent. Here, we report studies of enzymes called phosphodiesterases, which function in the degradation of cyclic di-GMP. We show the importance of these enzymes in virulence gene regulation and the ability of E. amylovora to cause plant disease.

Regulation of Effector Delivery by Type III Secretion Chaperone Proteins in Erwinia amylovora

Type III secretion (TTS) chaperones are critical for the delivery of many effector proteins from Gram-negative bacterial pathogens into host cells, functioning in the stabilization and hierarchical delivery of the effectors to the type III secretion system (TTSS). The plant pathogen Erwinia amylovora secretes at least four TTS effector proteins: DspE, Eop1, Eop3, and Eop4. DspE specifically interacts with the TTS chaperone protein DspF, which stabilizes the effector protein in the cytoplasm and promotes its efficient translocation through the TTSS. However, the role of E. amylovora chaperones in regulating the delivery of other secreted effectors is unknown. In this study, we identified functional interactions between the effector proteins DspE, Eop1, and Eop3 with the TTS chaperones DspF, Esc1 and Esc3 in yeast. Using site-directed mutagenesis, secretion, and translocation assays, we demonstrated that the three TTS chaperones have additive roles for the secretion and translocation of DspE into plant cells whereas DspF negatively affects the translocation of Eop1 and Eop3. Collectively, these results indicate that TTS chaperone proteins exhibit a cooperative behavior to orchestrate the effector secretion and translocation dynamics in E. amylovora.

Transcriptional response of Erwinia amylovora to copper shock: in vivo role of the copA gene

Fire blight is a devastating plant disease caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, and its control is frequently based on the use of copper-based compounds whose mechanisms of action are not well known. Consequently, in this article, we investigate the response of E. amylovora to copper shock by a whole-genome microarray approach. Transcriptional analyses showed that, in the presence of copper, 23 genes were increased in expression; these genes were classified mainly into the transport and stress functional categories. Among them, the copA gene was strongly induced and regulated in a finely tuned manner by copper. Mutation of copA, soxS, arcB, yjcE, ygcF, yhhQ, galF and EAM_3469 genes revealed that tolerance to copper in E. amylovora can be achieved by complex physiological mechanisms, including: (i) the control of copper homeostasis through, at least, the extrusion of Cu(I) by a P-type ATPase efflux pump CopA; and (ii) the overcoming of copper toxicity caused by oxidative stress by the expression of several reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related genes, including the two major transcriptional factors SoxS and ArcB. Furthermore, complementation analyses demonstrated the important role of copA for copper tolerance in E. amylovora, not only in vitro, but also in inoculated pear shoots.

Type III-Dependent Translocation of HrpB2 by a Nonpathogenic hpaABC Mutant of the Plant-Pathogenic Bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria

The plant-pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria employs a type III secretion (T3S) system to translocate effector proteins into plant cells. The T3S apparatus spans both bacterial membranes and is associated with an extracellular pilus and a channel-like translocon in the host plasma membrane. T3S is controlled by the switch protein HpaC, which suppresses secretion and translocation of the predicted inner rod protein HrpB2 and promotes secretion of translocon and effector proteins. We previously reported that HrpB2 interacts with HpaC and the cytoplasmic domain of the inner membrane protein HrcU (C. Lorenz, S. Schulz, T. Wolsch, O. Rossier, U. Bonas, and D. Büttner, PLoS Pathog 4:e1000094, 2008, http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1000094). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the control of HrpB2 secretion are not yet understood. Here, we located a T3S and translocation signal in the N-terminal 40 amino acids of HrpB2. The results of complementation experiments with HrpB2 deletion derivatives revealed that the T3S signal of HrpB2 is essential for protein function. Furthermore, interaction studies showed that the N-terminal region of HrpB2 interacts with the cytoplasmic domain of HrcU, suggesting that the T3S signal of HrpB2 contributes to substrate docking. Translocation of HrpB2 is suppressed not only by HpaC but also by the T3S chaperone HpaB and its secreted regulator, HpaA. Deletion of hpaA, hpaB, and hpaC leads to a loss of pathogenicity but allows the translocation of fusion proteins between the HrpB2 T3S signal and effector proteins into leaves of host and non-host plants.

IMPORTANCE

The T3S system of the plant-pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria is essential for pathogenicity and delivers effector proteins into plant cells. T3S depends on HrpB2, which is a component of the predicted periplasmic inner rod structure of the secretion apparatus. HrpB2 is secreted during the early stages of the secretion process and interacts with the cytoplasmic domain of the inner membrane protein HrcU. Here, we localized the secretion and translocation signal of HrpB2 in the N-terminal 40 amino acids and show that this region is sufficient for the interaction with the cytoplasmic domain of HrcU. Our results suggest that the T3S signal of HrpB2 is required for the docking of HrpB2 to the secretion apparatus. Furthermore, we provide experimental evidence that the N-terminal region of HrpB2 is sufficient to target effector proteins for translocation in a nonpathogenic X. campestris pv. vesicatoria strain.

HrcU and HrpP are pathogenicity factors in the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora required for the type III secretion of DspA/E

Background

Many Gram-negative bacterial pathogens mediate host-microbe interactions via utilization of the type III secretion (T3S) system. The T3S system is a complex molecular machine consisting of more than 20 proteins. Collectively, these proteins translocate effectors across extracellular space and into the host cytoplasm. Successful translocation requires timely synthesis and allocation of both structural and secreted T3S proteins. Based on amino acid conservation in animal pathogenic bacteria, HrcU and HrpP were examined for their roles in regulation of T3S hierarchy.

Results

Both HrcU and HrpP were shown to be required for disease development in an immature pear infection model and respective mutants were unable to induce a hypersensitive response in tobacco. Using in vitro western blot analyses, both proteins were also shown to be required for the secretion of DspA/E, a type 3 effector and an important pathogenicity factor. Via yeast-two hybridization (Y2H), HrpP and HrcU were revealed to exhibit protein-protein binding. Finally, all HrcU and HrpP phenotypes identified were shown to be dependent on a conserved amino acid motif in the cytoplasmic tail of HrcU.

Conclusions

Collectively, these data demonstrate roles for HrcU and HrpP in regulating T3S and represent the first attempt in understanding T3S heirarchy in E. amylovora.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12866-016-0702-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The AvrE superfamily: ancestral type III effectors involved in suppression of pathogen-associated molecular pattern-triggered immunity

The AvrE superfamily of type III effectors (T3Es) is widespread among type III-dependent phytobacteria and plays a crucial role during bacterial pathogenesis. Members of the AvrE superfamily are vertically inherited core effectors, indicating an ancestral acquisition of these effectors in bacterial plant pathogens. AvrE-T3Es contribute significantly to virulence by suppressing pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity. They inhibit salicylic acid-mediated plant defences, interfere with vesicular trafficking and promote bacterial growth in planta. AvrE-T3Es elicit cell death in both host and non-host plants independent of any known plant resistance protein, suggesting an original interaction with the plant immune system. Recent studies in yeast have indicated that they activate protein phosphatase 2A and inhibit serine palmitoyl transferase, the first enzyme of the sphingolipid biosynthesis pathway. In this review, we describe the current picture that has emerged from studies of the different members of this fascinating large family.

A bacterial type III secretion assay for delivery of fungal effector proteins into wheat

Large numbers of candidate effectors from fungal pathogens are being identified through whole-genome sequencing and in planta expression studies. Although Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression has enabled high-throughput functional analysis of effectors in dicot plants, this assay is not effective in cereal leaves. Here, we show that a nonpathogenic Pseudomonas fluorescens engineered to express the type III secretion system (T3SS) of P. syringae and the wheat pathogen Xanthomonas translucens can deliver fusion proteins containing T3SS signals from P. syringae (AvrRpm1) and X. campestris (AvrBs2) avirulence (Avr) proteins, respectively, into wheat leaf cells. A calmodulin-dependent adenylate cyclase reporter protein was delivered effectively into wheat and barley by both bacteria. Absence of any disease symptoms with P. fluorescens makes it more suitable than X. translucens for detecting a hypersensitive response (HR) induced by an effector protein with avirulence activity. We further modified the delivery system by removal of the myristoylation site from the AvrRpm1 fusion to prevent its localization to the plasma membrane which could inhibit recognition of an Avr protein. Delivery of the flax rust AvrM protein by the modified delivery system into transgenic tobacco leaves expressing the corresponding M resistance protein induced a strong HR, indicating that the system is capable of delivering a functional rust Avr protein. In a preliminary screen of effectors from the stem rust fungus Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, we identified one effector that induced a host genotype-specific HR in wheat. Thus, the modified AvrRpm1:effector-Pseudomonas fluorescens system is an effective tool for large-scale screening of pathogen effectors for recognition in wheat.

A bacterial type III secretion-based delivery system for functional assays of fungal effectors in cereals

Large numbers of candidate effectors are being identified by genome sequencing of fungal pathogens and in planta expression studies. These effectors are both a boon and a curse for pathogens as they modulate the host cellular environment or suppress defense response to allow fungal growth as well as become targets of plant resistance (R) proteins. Recognition of a fungal effector by a plant R protein triggers a hypersensitive reaction (HR) leading to death of plant cells in and around the infection site, thus preventing further proliferation of the pathogen. Such HR induction has been used as an indicator of effector activity in functional assays of candidate effectors in dicots based on Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression. However, the Agrobacterium assay is not functional in cereal leaves. We therefore have adapted an alternative assay based on effector protein delivery using the type III secretion system (T3SS) of a non-pathogenic Pseudomonas spp. for use in wheat and other cereals. Here, we describe protocols for delivery of effector proteins into wheat and barley cells using the AvrRpm1 T3SS signal in the engineered non-pathogenic Pseudomonas fluorescens strain Effector-to-Host Analyzer (EtHAn). For ease of making expression clones we have generated the GATEWAY cloning compatible vectors. A calmodulin-dependent adenylate cyclase (Cya) reporter protein can be used as an effective marker for fusion protein delivery into wheat and barley by this system.

Type III chaperones & Co in bacterial plant pathogens: a set of specialized bodyguards mediating effector delivery

Gram-negative plant pathogenic bacteria possess a type III secretion system (T3SS) to inject bacterial proteins, called type III effectors (T3Es), into host cells through a specialized syringe structure. T3Es are virulence factors that can suppress plant immunity but they can also conversely be recognized by the plant and trigger specific resistance mechanisms. The T3SS and injected T3Es play a central role in determining the outcome of a host-pathogen interaction. Still little is known in plant pathogens on the assembly of the T3SS and the regulatory mechanisms involved in the temporal control of its biosynthesis and T3E translocation. However, recent insights point out the role of several proteins as prime candidates in the role of regulators of the type III secretion (T3S) process. In this review we report on the most recent advances on the regulation of the T3S by focusing on protein players involved in secretion/translocation regulations, including type III chaperones (T3Cs), type III secretion substrate specificity switch (T3S4) proteins and other T3S orchestrators.

Mutational analysis of a predicted double β-propeller domain of the DspA/E effector of Erwinia amylovora

The bacterium Erwinia amylovora causes fire blight, an invasive disease that threatens apple trees, pear trees and other plants of the Rosaceae family. Erwinia amylovora pathogenicity relies on a type III secretion system and on a single effector DspA/E. This effector belongs to the widespread AvrE family of effectors whose biological function is unknown. In this manuscript, we performed a bioinformatic analysis of DspA/E- and AvrE-related effectors. Motif search identified nuclear localization signals, peroxisome targeting signals, endoplasmic reticulum membrane retention signals and leucine zipper motifs, but none of these motifs were present in all the AvrE-related effectors analysed. Protein threading analysis, however, predicted a conserved double β-propeller domain in the N-terminal part of all the analysed effector sequences. We then performed a random pentapeptide mutagenesis of DspA/E, which led to the characterization of 13 new altered proteins with a five amino acids insertion. Eight harboured the insertion inside the predicted β-propeller domain and six of these eight insertions impaired DspA/E stability or function. Conversely, the two remaining insertions generated proteins that were functional and abundantly secreted in the supernatant suggesting that these two insertions stabilized the protein.

Deployment of the Burkholderia glumae type III secretion system as an efficient tool for translocating pathogen effectors to monocot cells

Genome sequences of plant fungal pathogens have enabled the identification of effectors that cooperatively modulate the cellular environment for successful fungal growth and suppress host defense. Identification and characterization of novel effector proteins are crucial for understanding pathogen virulence and host-plant defense mechanisms. Previous reports indicate that the Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 type III secretion system (T3SS) can be used to study how non-bacterial effectors manipulate dicot plant cell function using the effector detector vector (pEDV) system. Here we report a pEDV-based effector delivery system in which the T3SS of Burkholderia glumae, an emerging rice pathogen, is used to translocate the AVR-Pik and AVR-Pii effectors of the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae to rice cytoplasm. The translocated AVR-Pik and AVR-Pii showed avirulence activity when tested in rice cultivars containing the cognate R genes. AVR-Pik reduced and delayed the hypersensitive response triggered by B. glumae in the non-host plant Nicotiana benthamiana, indicative of an immunosuppressive virulence activity. AVR proteins fused with fluorescent protein and nuclear localization signal were delivered by B. glumae T3SS and observed in the nuclei of infected cells in rice, wheat, barley and N. benthamiana. Our bacterial T3SS-enabled eukaryotic effector delivery and subcellular localization assays provide a useful method for identifying and studying effector functions in monocot plants.

Contributions of roots and rootstocks to sustainable, intensified crop production

Sustainable intensification is seen as the main route for meeting the world's increasing demands for food and fibre. As demands mount for greater efficiency in the use of resources to achieve this goal, so the focus on roots and rootstocks and their role in acquiring water and nutrients, and overcoming pests and pathogens, is increasing. The purpose of this review is to explore some of the ways in which understanding root systems and their interactions with soils could contribute to the development of more sustainable systems of intensive production. Physical interactions with soil particles limit root growth if soils are dense, but root-soil contact is essential for optimal growth and uptake of water and nutrients. X-ray microtomography demonstrated that maize roots elongated more rapidly with increasing root-soil contact, as long as mechanical impedance was not limiting root elongation, while lupin was less sensitive to changes in root-soil contact. In addition to selecting for root architecture and rhizosphere properties, the growth of many plants in cultivated systems is profoundly affected by selection of an appropriate rootstock. Several mechanisms for scion control by rootstocks have been suggested, but the causal signals are still uncertain and may differ between crop species. Linkage map locations for quantitative trait loci for disease resistance and other traits of interest in rootstock breeding are becoming available. Designing root systems and rootstocks for specific environments is becoming a feasible target.

Comparative genomics of 12 strains of Erwinia amylovora identifies a pan-genome with a large conserved core

The plant pathogen Erwinia amylovora can be divided into two host-specific groupings; strains infecting a broad range of hosts within the Rosaceae subfamily Spiraeoideae (e.g., Malus, Pyrus, Crataegus, Sorbus) and strains infecting Rubus (raspberries and blackberries). Comparative genomic analysis of 12 strains representing distinct populations (e.g., geographic, temporal, host origin) of E. amylovora was used to describe the pan-genome of this major pathogen. The pan-genome contains 5751 coding sequences and is highly conserved relative to other phytopathogenic bacteria comprising on average 89% conserved, core genes. The chromosomes of Spiraeoideae-infecting strains were highly homogeneous, while greater genetic diversity was observed between Spiraeoideae- and Rubus-infecting strains (and among individual Rubus-infecting strains), the majority of which was attributed to variable genomic islands. Based on genomic distance scores and phylogenetic analysis, the Rubus-infecting strain ATCC BAA-2158 was genetically more closely related to the Spiraeoideae-infecting strains of E. amylovora than it was to the other Rubus-infecting strains. Analysis of the accessory genomes of Spiraeoideae- and Rubus-infecting strains has identified putative host-specific determinants including variation in the effector protein HopX1_Ea and a putative secondary metabolite pathway only present in Rubus-infecting strains.

Global small RNA chaperone Hfq and regulatory small RNAs are important virulence regulators in Erwinia amylovora

Hfq is a global small RNA (sRNA) chaperone that interacts with Hfq-regulated sRNAs and functions in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. In this work, we identified Hfq to be a virulence regulator in the Gram-negative fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora. Deletion of hfq in E. amylovora Ea1189 significantly reduced bacterial virulence in both immature pear fruits and apple shoots. Analysis of virulence determinants in strain Ea1189Δhfq showed that Hfq exerts pleiotropic regulation of amylovoran exopolysaccharide production, biofilm formation, motility, and the type III secretion system (T3SS). Further characterization of biofilm regulation by Hfq demonstrated that Hfq limits bacterial attachment to solid surfaces while promoting biofilm maturation. Characterization of T3SS regulation by Hfq revealed that Hfq positively regulates the translocation and secretion of the major type III effector DspE and negatively controls the secretion of the putative translocator HrpK and the type III effector Eop1. Lastly, 10 Hfq-regulated sRNAs were identified using a computational method, and two of these sRNAs, RprA and RyhA, were found to be required for the full virulence of E. amylovora.

Protein export according to schedule: architecture, assembly, and regulation of type III secretion systems from plant- and animal-pathogenic bacteria

Flagellar and translocation-associated type III secretion (T3S) systems are present in most gram-negative plant- and animal-pathogenic bacteria and are often essential for bacterial motility or pathogenicity. The architectures of the complex membrane-spanning secretion apparatuses of both systems are similar, but they are associated with different extracellular appendages, including the flagellar hook and filament or the needle/pilus structures of translocation-associated T3S systems. The needle/pilus is connected to a bacterial translocon that is inserted into the host plasma membrane and mediates the transkingdom transport of bacterial effector proteins into eukaryotic cells. During the last 3 to 5 years, significant progress has been made in the characterization of membrane-associated core components and extracellular structures of T3S systems. Furthermore, transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulators that control T3S gene expression and substrate specificity have been described. Given the architecture of the T3S system, it is assumed that extracellular components of the secretion apparatus are secreted prior to effector proteins, suggesting that there is a hierarchy in T3S. The aim of this review is to summarize our current knowledge of T3S system components and associated control proteins from both plant- and animal-pathogenic bacteria.

Genetic characterization of the HrpL regulon of the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora reveals novel virulence factors

The bacterial pathogen Erwinia amylovora is the causal agent of fire blight, an economically significant disease of apple and pear. Disease initiation by E. amylovora requires the translocation of effector proteins into host cells via the hypersensitive response and pathogenicity (hrp) type III secretion system (T3SS). The alternative sigma factor HrpL positively regulates the transcription of structural and translocated components of the T3SS via hrp promoter elements. To characterize genome-wide HrpL-dependent gene expression in E. amylovora Ea1189, wild-type and Ea1189ΔhrpL strains were cultured in hrp-inducing minimal medium, and total RNA was compared using a custom microarray designed to represent the annotated genes of E. amylovora ATCC 49946. The results revealed 24 genes differentially regulated in Ea1189ΔhrpL relative to Ea1189 with fold-change expression ratios greater than 1.5; of these, 19 genes exhibited decreased transcript abundance and five genes showed increased transcript abundance relative to Ea1189. To expand our understanding of the HrpL regulon and to elucidate direct versus indirect HrpL-mediated effects on gene expression, the genome of E. amylovora ATCC 49946 was examined in silico using a hidden Markov model assembled from known Erwinia spp. hrp promoters. This technique identified 15 putative type III novel hrp promoters, seven of which were validated with quantitative polymerase chain reaction based on expression analyses. It was found that HrpL-regulated genes encode all known components of the hrp T3SS, as well as five putative type III effectors. Eight genes displayed apparent indirect HrpL regulation, suggesting that the HrpL regulon is connected to downstream signalling networks. The construction of deletion mutants of three novel HrpL-regulated genes resulted in the identification of additional virulence factors as well as mutants displaying abnormal motility and biofilm phenotypes.

Fire blight: applied genomic insights of the pathogen and host

The enterobacterial phytopathogen Erwinia amylovora causes fire blight, an invasive disease that threatens a wide range of commercial and ornamental Rosaceae host plants. The response elicited by E. amylovora in its host during disease development is similar to the hypersensitive reaction that typically leads to resistance in an incompatible host-pathogen interaction, yet no gene-for-gene resistance has been described for this host-pathogen system. Comparative genomic analysis has found an unprecedented degree of genetic uniformity among strains of E. amylovora, suggesting that the pathogen has undergone a recent genetic bottleneck. The genome of apple, an important host of E. amylovora, has been sequenced, creating new opportunities for the study of interactions between host and pathogen during fire blight development and for the identification of resistance genes. This review includes recent advances in the genomics of both host and pathogen.

Pectobacterium carotovorum elicits plant cell death with DspE/F but the P. carotovorum DspE does not suppress callose or induce expression of plant genes early in plant-microbe interactions

The broad-host-range bacterial soft rot pathogen Pectobacterium carotovorum causes a DspE/F-dependent plant cell death on Nicotiana benthamiana within 24 h postinoculation (hpi) followed by leaf maceration within 48 hpi. P. carotovorum strains with mutations in type III secretion system (T3SS) regulatory and structural genes, including the dspE/F operon, did not cause hypersensitive response (HR)-like cell death and or leaf maceration. A strain with a mutation in the type II secretion system caused HR-like plant cell death but no maceration. P. carotovorum was unable to impede callose deposition in N. benthamiana leaves, suggesting that P. carotovorum does not suppress this basal immunity function. Within 24 hpi, there was callose deposition along leaf veins and examination showed that the pathogen cells were localized along the veins. To further examine HR-like plant cell death induced by P. carotovorum, gene expression profiles in N. benthamiana leaves inoculated with wild-type and mutant P. carotovorum and Pseudomonas syringae strains were compared. The N. benthamiana gene expression profile of leaves infiltrated with Pectobacterium carotovorum was similar to leaves infiltrated with a Pseudomonas syringae T3SS mutant. These data support a model where Pectobacterium carotovorum uses the T3SS to induce plant cell death in order to promote leaf maceration rather than to suppress plant immunity.

Homology-based modeling of the Erwinia amylovora type III secretion chaperone DspF used to identify amino acids required for virulence and interaction with the effector DspE

The structure of DspF, a type III secretion system (T3SS) chaperone required for virulence of the fruit tree pathogen Erwinia amylovora, was modeled based on predicted structural homology to characterized T3SS chaperones. This model guided the selection of 11 amino acid residues that were individually mutated to alanine via site-directed mutagenesis. Each mutant was assessed for its effect on virulence complementation, dimerization and interaction with the N-terminal chaperone-binding site of DspE. Four amino acid residues were identified that did not complement the virulence defect of a dspF knockout mutant, and three of these residues were required for interaction with the N-terminus of DspE. This study supports the significance of the predicted beta-sheet helix-binding groove in DspF chaperone function.

Secretion and translocation signals and DspB/F-binding domains in the type III effector DspA/E of Erwinia amylovora

DspA/E is a type III effector of Erwinia amylovora, the bacterial pathogen that causes fire blight disease in roseaceous plants. This effector is indispensable for disease development, and it is translocated into plant cells. A DspA/E-specific chaperone, DspB/F, is necessary for DspA/E secretion and possibly for its translocation. In this work, DspB/F-binding sites and secretion and translocation signals in the DspA/E protein were determined. Based on yeast two-hybrid assays, DspB/F was found to bind DspA/E within the first 210 amino acids of the protein. Surprisingly, both DspB/F and OrfA, the putative chaperone of Eop1, also interacted with the C-terminal 1059 amino acids of DspA/E; this suggests another chaperone-binding site. Secretion and translocation assays using serial N-terminal lengths of DspA/E fused with the active form of AvrRpt2 revealed that at least the first 109 amino acids, including the first N-terminal chaperone-binding motif and DspB/F, were required for efficient translocation of DspA/E, although the first 35 amino acids were sufficient for its secretion and the presence of DspB/F was not required. These results indicate that secretion and translocation signals are present in the N terminus of DspA/E, and that at least one DspB/F-binding motif is required for efficient translocation into plant cells.