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Nakagami S, Wang Z, Han X, Tsuda K. Regulation of Bacterial Growth and Behavior by Host Plant. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2024; 62:69-96. [PMID: 38857544 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-phyto-010824-023359] [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: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Plants are associated with diverse bacteria in nature. Some bacteria are pathogens that decrease plant fitness, and others are beneficial bacteria that promote plant growth and stress resistance. Emerging evidence also suggests that plant-associated commensal bacteria collectively contribute to plant health and are essential for plant survival in nature. Bacteria with different characteristics simultaneously colonize plant tissues. Thus, plants need to accommodate bacteria that provide service to the host plants, but they need to defend against pathogens at the same time. How do plants achieve this? In this review, we summarize how plants use physical barriers, control common goods such as water and nutrients, and produce antibacterial molecules to regulate bacterial growth and behavior. Furthermore, we highlight that plants use specialized metabolites that support or inhibit specific bacteria, thereby selectively recruiting plant-associated bacterial communities and regulating their function. We also raise important questions that need to be addressed to improve our understanding of plant-bacteria interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Nakagami
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China;
| | - Zhe Wang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China;
| | - Xiaowei Han
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China;
| | - Kenichi Tsuda
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China;
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2
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Agbekudzi A, Scharf BE. Chemoreceptors in Sinorhizobium meliloti require minimal pentapeptide tethers to provide adaptational assistance. Mol Microbiol 2024; 122:50-67. [PMID: 38798055 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Sensory adaptation in bacterial chemotaxis is mediated by posttranslational modifications of methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs). In Escherichia coli, the adaptation proteins CheR and CheB tether to a conserved C-terminal receptor pentapeptide. Here,we investigated the function of the pentapeptide motif (N/D)WE(E/N)F in Sinorhizobium meliloti chemotaxis. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed stronger affinity of the pentapeptides to CheR and activated CheB relative to unmodified CheB. Strains with mutations of the conserved tryptophan in one or all four MCP pentapeptides resulted in a significant decrease or loss of chemotaxis to glycine betaine, lysine, and acetate, chemoattractants sensed by pentapeptide-bearing McpX and pentapeptide-lacking McpU and McpV, respectively. Importantly, we discovered that the pentapeptide mediates chemotaxis when fused to the C-terminus of pentapeptide-lacking chemoreceptors via a flexible linker. We propose that adaptational assistance and a threshold number of available sites enable the efficient docking of adaptation proteins to the chemosensory array. Altogether, these results demonstrate that S. meliloti effectively utilizes a pentapeptide-dependent adaptation system with a minimal number of tethering units to assist pentapeptide-lacking chemoreceptors and hypothesize that the higher abundance of CheR and CheB in S. meliloti compared to E. coli allows for ample recruitment of adaptation proteins to the chemosensory array.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfred Agbekudzi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences I, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Birgit E Scharf
- Department of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences I, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
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3
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Cerna-Vargas JP, Gumerov VM, Krell T, Zhulin IB. Amine-recognizing domain in diverse receptors from bacteria and archaea evolved from the universal amino acid sensor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305837120. [PMID: 37819981 PMCID: PMC10589655 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305837120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria possess various receptors that sense different signals and transmit information to enable an optimal adaptation to the environment. A major limitation in microbiology is the lack of information on the signal molecules that activate receptors. Signals recognized by sensor domains are poorly reflected in overall sequence identity, and therefore, the identification of signals from the amino acid sequence of the sensor alone presents a challenge. Biogenic amines are of great physiological importance for microorganisms and humans. They serve as substrates for aerobic and anaerobic growth and play a role of neurotransmitters and osmoprotectants. Here, we report the identification of a sequence motif that is specific for amine-sensing sensor domains that belong to the Cache superfamily of the most abundant extracellular sensors in prokaryotes. We identified approximately 13,000 sensor histidine kinases, chemoreceptors, receptors involved in second messenger homeostasis and Ser/Thr phosphatases from 8,000 bacterial and archaeal species that contain the amine-recognizing motif. The screening of compound libraries and microcalorimetric titrations of selected sensor domains confirmed their ability to specifically bind biogenic amines. Mutants in the amine-binding motif or domains that contain a single mismatch in the binding motif had either no or a largely reduced affinity for amines. We demonstrate that the amine-recognizing domain originated from the universal amino acid-sensing Cache domain, thus providing insight into receptor evolution. Our approach enables precise "wet"-lab experiments to define the function of regulatory systems and therefore holds a strong promise to enable the identification of signals stimulating numerous receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Paul Cerna-Vargas
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada18008, Spain
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid28223, Spain
| | - Vadim M. Gumerov
- Department of Microbiology and Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH43210
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada18008, Spain
| | - Igor B. Zhulin
- Department of Microbiology and Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH43210
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4
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Matilla MA, Gavira JA, Krell T. Accessing nutrients as the primary benefit arising from chemotaxis. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 75:102358. [PMID: 37459734 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
About half of the known bacterial species perform chemotaxis that gains them access to sites that are optimal for growth and survival. The motility apparatus and chemotaxis signaling pathway impose a large energetic and metabolic burden on the cell. There is almost no limit to the type of chemoeffectors that are recognized by bacterial chemoreceptors. For example, they include hormones, neurotransmitters, quorum-sensing molecules, and inorganic ions. However, the vast majority of chemoeffectors appear to be of metabolic value. We review here the experimental evidence indicating that accessing nutrients is the main selective force that led to the evolution of chemotaxis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Matilla
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - José A Gavira
- Laboratory of Crystallographic Studies, IACT (CSIC-UGR), Armilla, Spain
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain.
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5
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Salar S, Ball NE, Baaziz H, Nix JC, Sobe RC, Compton KK, Zhulin IB, Brown AM, Scharf BE, Schubot FD. The structural analysis of the periplasmic domain of Sinorhizobium meliloti chemoreceptor McpZ reveals a novel fold and suggests a complex mechanism of transmembrane signaling. Proteins 2023; 91:1394-1406. [PMID: 37213073 PMCID: PMC10524373 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Chemotaxis is a fundamental process whereby bacteria seek out nutrient sources and avoid harmful chemicals. For the symbiotic soil bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti, the chemotaxis system also plays an essential role in the interaction with its legume host. The chemotactic signaling cascade is initiated through interactions of an attractant or repellent compound with chemoreceptors or methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs). S. meliloti possesses eight chemoreceptors to mediate chemotaxis. Six of these receptors are transmembrane proteins with periplasmic ligand-binding domains (LBDs). The specific functions of McpW and McpZ are still unknown. Here, we report the crystal structure of the periplasmic domain of McpZ (McpZPD) at 2.7 Å resolution. McpZPD assumes a novel fold consisting of three concatenated four-helix bundle modules. Through phylogenetic analyses, we discovered that this helical tri-modular domain fold arose within the Rhizobiaceae family and is still evolving rapidly. The structure, offering a rare view of a ligand-free dimeric MCP-LBD, reveals a novel dimerization interface. Molecular dynamics calculations suggest ligand binding will induce conformational changes that result in large horizontal helix movements within the membrane-proximal domains of the McpZPD dimer that are accompanied by a 5 Å vertical shift of the terminal helix toward the inner cell membrane. These results suggest a mechanism of transmembrane signaling for this family of MCPs that entails both piston-type and scissoring movements. The predicted movements terminate in a conformation that closely mirrors those observed in related ligand-bound MCP-LBDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safoura Salar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Nicolas E. Ball
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Hiba Baaziz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Jay C. Nix
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Richard C. Sobe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - K. Karl Compton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Igor B. Zhulin
- Department of Microbiology & Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Anne M. Brown
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Birgit E. Scharf
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Florian D. Schubot
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
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Suzuki S, Yokota K, Igimi S, Kajikawa A. Negative chemotaxis of Ligilactobacillus agilis BKN88 against gut-derived substances. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15632. [PMID: 37730901 PMCID: PMC10511705 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42840-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Ligilactobacillus agilis is a motile lactic acid bacterium found in the gastrointestinal tracts of animals. The findings of our previous study suggest that the motility of L. agilis BKN88 enables gut colonization in murine models. However, the chemotactic abilities of motile lactobacilli remain unknown. This study aimed to identify the gut-derived chemoeffectors and their corresponding chemoreceptors in L. agilis BKN88. Chemotaxis assays with chemotactic and non-chemotactic (ΔcheA) L. agilis strains revealed that low pH, organic acids, and bile salts served as repellents. L. agilis BKN88 was more sensitive to bile and acid than the gut-derived non-motile lactobacilli, implying that L. agilis might utilize motility and chemotaxis instead of exhibiting stress tolerance/resistance. L. agilis BKN88 contains five putative chemoreceptor genes (mcp1-mcp5). Chemotaxis assays using a series of chemoreceptor mutants revealed that each of the five chemoreceptors could sense multiple chemoeffectors and that these chemoreceptors were functionally redundant. Mcp2 and Mcp3 sensed all tested chemoeffectors. This study provides further insights into the interactions between chemoreceptors and ligands of motile lactobacilli and the unique ecological and evolutionary features of motile lactobacilli, which may be distinct from those of non-motile lactobacilli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunya Suzuki
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Graduate School of Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8566, Japan
| | - Kenji Yokota
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Graduate School of Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan
| | - Shizunobu Igimi
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Graduate School of Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan
| | - Akinobu Kajikawa
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Graduate School of Tokyo University of Agriculture, 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagaya, Tokyo, 156-8502, Japan.
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7
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Cerna‐Vargas JP, Sánchez‐Romera B, Matilla MA, Ortega Á, Krell T. Sensing preferences for prokaryotic solute binding protein families. Microb Biotechnol 2023; 16:1823-1833. [PMID: 37547952 PMCID: PMC10443332 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14292] [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: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Solute binding proteins (SBPs) are of central physiological relevance for prokaryotes. These proteins present substrates to transporters, but they also stimulate different signal transduction receptors. SBPs form a superfamily of at least 33 protein Pfam families. To assess possible links between SBP sequence and the ligand recognized, we have inspected manually all SBP three-dimensional structures deposited in the protein data bank and retrieved 748 prokaryotic structures that have been solved in complex with bound ligand. These structures were classified into 26 SBP Pfam families. The analysis of the ligands recognized revealed that most families possess a preference for a compound class. There were three families each that bind preferentially saccharides and amino acids. In addition, we identified families that bind preferentially purines, quaternary amines, iron and iron-chelating compounds, oxoanions, bivalent metal ions or phosphates. Phylogenetic analyses suggest convergent evolutionary events that lead to families that bind the same ligand. The functional link between chemotaxis and compound uptake is reflected in similarities in the ligands recognized by SBPs and chemoreceptors. Associating Pfam families with ligand profiles will be of help to design experimental strategies aimed at the identification of ligands for uncharacterized SBPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Paul Cerna‐Vargas
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental ProtectionEstación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasGranadaSpain
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas CBGPUniversidad Politécnica de Madrid‐Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria/CSIC, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de la UPMMadridSpain
| | - Beatriz Sánchez‐Romera
- Scientific Instrumentation ServiceEstación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasGranadaSpain
| | - Miguel A. Matilla
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental ProtectionEstación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasGranadaSpain
| | - Álvaro Ortega
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology B and Immunology, Faculty of ChemistryUniversity of MurciaMurciaSpain
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental ProtectionEstación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasGranadaSpain
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8
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Bhattacharyya A, Mavrodi O, Bhowmik N, Weller D, Thomashow L, Mavrodi D. Bacterial biofilms as an essential component of rhizosphere plant-microbe interactions. METHODS IN MICROBIOLOGY 2023; 53:3-48. [PMID: 38415193 PMCID: PMC10898258 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mim.2023.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Bhattacharyya
- School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Olga Mavrodi
- School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Niladri Bhowmik
- School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - David Weller
- USDA-ARS Wheat Health, Genetics and Quality Research Unit, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Linda Thomashow
- USDA-ARS Wheat Health, Genetics and Quality Research Unit, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Dmitri Mavrodi
- School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
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9
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Cerna-Vargas JP, Gumerov VM, Krell T, Zhulin IB. Amine recognizing domain in diverse receptors from bacteria and archaea evolved from the universal amino acid sensor. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.06.535858. [PMID: 37066253 PMCID: PMC10104139 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.06.535858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria contain many different receptor families that sense different signals permitting an optimal adaptation to the environment. A major limitation in microbiology is the lack of information on the signal molecules that activate receptors. Due to a significant sequence divergence, the signal recognized by sensor domains is only poorly reflected in overall sequence identity. Biogenic amines are of central physiological relevance for microorganisms and serve for example as substrates for aerobic and anaerobic growth, neurotransmitters or osmoprotectants. Based on protein structural information and sequence analysis, we report here the identification of a sequence motif that is specific for amine-sensing dCache sensor domains (dCache_1AM). These domains were identified in more than 13,000 proteins from 8,000 bacterial and archaeal species. dCache_1AM containing receptors were identified in all major receptor families including sensor kinases, chemoreceptors, receptors involved in second messenger homeostasis and Ser/Thr phosphatases. The screening of compound libraries and microcalorimetric titrations of selected dCache_1AM domains confirmed their capacity to specifically bind amines. Mutants in the amine binding motif or domains that contain a single mismatch in the binding motif, had either no or a largely reduced affinity for amines, illustrating the specificity of this motif. We demonstrate that the dCache_1AM domain has evolved from the universal amino acid sensing domain, providing novel insight into receptor evolution. Our approach enables precise "wet"-lab experiments to define the function of regulatory systems and thus holds a strong promise to address an important bottleneck in microbiology: the identification of signals that stimulate numerous receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Paul Cerna-Vargas
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas CBGP, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid-Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria/CSIC, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de la UPM, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Vadim M. Gumerov
- Department of Microbiology and Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
| | - Igor B. Zhulin
- Department of Microbiology and Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Velando F, Matilla MA, Zhulin IB, Krell T. Three unrelated chemoreceptors provide Pectobacterium atrosepticum with a broad-spectrum amino acid sensing capability. Microb Biotechnol 2023. [PMID: 36965186 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Amino acids are important nutrients and also serve as signals for diverse signal transduction pathways. Bacteria use chemoreceptors to recognize amino acid attractants and to navigate their gradients. In Escherichia coli two likely paralogous chemoreceptors Tsr and Tar detect 9 amino acids, whereas in Pseudomonas aeruginosa the paralogous chemoreceptors PctA, PctB and PctC detect 18 amino acids. Here, we show that the phytobacterium Pectobacterium atrosepticum uses the three non-homologous chemoreceptors PacA, PacB and PacC to detect 19 proteinogenic and several non-proteinogenic amino acids. PacB recognizes 18 proteinogenic amino acids as well as 8 non-proteinogenic amino acids. PacB has a ligand preference for the three branched chain amino acids L-leucine, L-valine and L-isoleucine. PacA detects L-proline next to several quaternary amines. The third chemoreceptor, PacC, is an ortholog of E. coli Tsr and the only one of the 36 P. atrosepticum chemoreceptors that is encoded in the cluster of chemosensory pathway genes. Surprisingly, in contrast to Tsr, which primarily senses serine, PacC recognizes aspartate as the major chemoeffector but not serine. Our results demonstrate that bacteria use various strategies to sense a wide range of amino acids and that it takes more than one chemoreceptor to achieve this goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Félix Velando
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - Miguel A Matilla
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - Igor B Zhulin
- Department of Microbiology and Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
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Abstract
Bacteria have evolved many different signal transduction systems to sense and respond to changing environmental conditions. Signal integration is mainly achieved by signal recognition at extracytosolic ligand-binding domains (LBDs) of receptors. Hundreds of different LBDs have been reported, and our understanding of their sensing properties is growing. Receptors must function over a range of environmental pH values, but there is little information available on the robustness of sensing as a function of pH. Here, we have used isothermal titration calorimetry to determine the pH dependence of ligand recognition by nine LBDs that cover all major LBD superfamilies, of periplasmic solute-binding proteins, and cytosolic LBDs. We show that periplasmic LBDs recognize ligands over a very broad pH range, frequently stretching over eight pH units. This wide pH range contrasts with a much narrower pH response range of the cytosolic LBDs analyzed. Many LBDs must be dimeric to bind ligands, and analytical ultracentrifugation studies showed that the LBD of the Tar chemoreceptor forms dimers over the entire pH range tested. The pH dependences of Pseudomonas aeruginosa motility and chemotaxis were bell-shaped and centered at pH 7.0. Evidence for pH robustness of signaling in vivo was obtained by Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) measurements of the chemotaxis pathway responses in Escherichia coli. Bacteria have evolved several strategies to cope with extreme pH, such as periplasmic chaperones for protein refolding. The intrinsic pH resistance of periplasmic LBDs appears to be another strategy that permits bacteria to survive under adverse conditions.
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Signal binding at both modules of its dCache domain enables the McpA chemoreceptor of Bacillus velezensis to sense different ligands. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2201747119. [PMID: 35858353 PMCID: PMC9303924 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2201747119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have evolved multiple signal transduction systems that permit an adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Chemoreceptor-based signaling cascades are very abundant in bacteria and are among the most complex signaling systems. Currently, our knowledge on the molecular features that determine signal recognition at chemoreceptors is limited. Chemoreceptor McpA of Bacillus velezensis SQR9 has been shown to mediate chemotaxis to a broad range of different ligands. Here we show that its ligand binding domain binds directly 13 chemoattractants. We provide support that organic acids and amino acids bind to the membrane-distal and membrane-proximal module of the dCache domain, respectively, whereas binding of sugars/sugar alcohols occurred at both modules. Structural biology studies combined with site-directed mutagenesis experiments have permitted to identify 10 amino acid residues that play key roles in the recognition of multiple ligands. Residues in membrane-distal and membrane-proximal regions were central for sensing organic acids and amimo acids, respectively, whereas all residues participated in sugars/sugar alcohol sensing. Most characterized chemoreceptors possess a narrow and well-defined ligand spectrum. We propose here a sensing mechanism involving both dCache modules that allows the integration of very diverse signals by a single chemoreceptor.
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Abstract
Acetylcholine is a central biological signal molecule present in all kingdoms of life. In humans, acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter of the peripheral nervous system; it mediates signal transmission at neuromuscular junctions. Here, we show that the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibits chemoattraction toward acetylcholine over a concentration range of 1 μM to 100 mM. The maximal magnitude of the response was superior to that of many other P. aeruginosa chemoeffectors. We demonstrate that this chemoattraction is mediated by the PctD (PA4633) chemoreceptor. Using microcalorimetry, we show that the PctD ligand-binding domain (LBD) binds acetylcholine with a equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) of 23 μM. It also binds choline and with lower affinity betaine. Highly sensitive responses to acetylcholine and choline, and less sensitive responses to betaine and l-carnitine, were observed in Escherichia coli expressing a chimeric receptor comprising the PctD-LBD fused to the Tar chemoreceptor signaling domain. We also identified the PacA (ECA_RS10935) chemoreceptor of the phytopathogen Pectobacterium atrosepticum, which binds choline and betaine but fails to recognize acetylcholine. To identify the molecular determinants for acetylcholine recognition, we report high-resolution structures of PctD-LBD (with bound acetylcholine and choline) and PacA-LBD (with bound betaine). We identified an amino acid motif in PctD-LBD that interacts with the acetylcholine tail. This motif is absent in PacA-LBD. Significant acetylcholine chemotaxis was also detected in the plant pathogens Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Dickeya solani. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of acetylcholine chemotaxis and extends the range of host signals perceived by bacterial chemoreceptors.
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Sugiyama A. Flavonoids and saponins in plant rhizospheres: roles, dynamics, and the potential for agriculture. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2021; 85:1919-1931. [PMID: 34113972 DOI: 10.1093/bbb/zbab106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Plants are in constant interaction with a myriad of soil microorganisms in the rhizosphere, an area of soil in close contact with plant roots. Recent research has highlighted the importance of plant-specialized metabolites (PSMs) in shaping and modulating the rhizosphere microbiota; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying the establishment and function of the microbiota mostly remain unaddressed. Flavonoids and saponins are a group of PSMs whose biosynthetic pathways have largely been revealed. Although these PSMs are abundantly secreted into the rhizosphere and exert various functions, the secretion mechanisms have not been clarified. This review summarizes the roles of flavonoids and saponins in the rhizosphere with a special focus on interactions between plants and the rhizosphere microbiota. Furthermore, this review introduces recent advancements in the dynamics of these metabolites in the rhizosphere and indicates potential applications of PSMs for crop production and discusses perspectives in this emerging research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akifumi Sugiyama
- Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Japan
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15
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Matilla MA, Velando F, Martín-Mora D, Monteagudo-Cascales E, Krell T. A catalogue of signal molecules that interact with sensor kinases, chemoreceptors and transcriptional regulators. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 46:6356564. [PMID: 34424339 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria have evolved many different signal transduction systems that sense signals and generate a variety of responses. Generally, most abundant are transcriptional regulators, sensor histidine kinases and chemoreceptors. Typically, these systems recognize their signal molecules with dedicated ligand-binding domains (LBDs), which, in turn, generate a molecular stimulus that modulates the activity of the output module. There are an enormous number of different LBDs that recognize a similarly diverse set of signals. To give a global perspective of the signals that interact with transcriptional regulators, sensor kinases and chemoreceptors, we manually retrieved information on the protein-ligand interaction from about 1,200 publications and 3D structures. The resulting 811 proteins were classified according to the Pfam family into 127 groups. These data permit a delineation of the signal profiles of individual LBD families as well as distinguishing between families that recognize signals in a promiscuous manner and those that possess a well-defined ligand range. A major bottleneck in the field is the fact that the signal input of many signaling systems is unknown. The signal repertoire reported here will help the scientific community design experimental strategies to identify the signaling molecules for uncharacterised sensor proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Matilla
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
| | - Félix Velando
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
| | - David Martín-Mora
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
| | - Elizabet Monteagudo-Cascales
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain
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16
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Abstract
Chemoreceptors enable the legume symbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti to detect and respond to specific chemicals released from their host plant alfalfa, which allows the establishment of a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. The periplasmic region (PR) of transmembrane chemoreceptors act as the sensory input module for chemotaxis systems via binding of specific ligands, either directly or indirectly. S. meliloti has six transmembrane and two cytosolic chemoreceptors. However, the function of only three of the transmembrane receptors have been characterized so far, with McpU, McpV, and McpX serving as general amino acid, short-chain carboxylate, and quaternary ammonium compound sensors, respectively. In the present study, we analyzed the S. meliloti chemoreceptor McpT. High-throughput differential scanning fluorimetry assays, using Biolog phenotype microarray plates, identified 15 potential ligands for McpTPR, with the majority classified as mono-, di-, and tricarboxylates. S. meliloti exhibited positive chemotaxis toward seven selected carboxylates, namely, α-ketobutyrate, citrate, glyoxylate, malate, malonate, oxalate, and succinate. These carboxylates were detected in seed exudates of the alfalfa host. Deletion of mcpT resulted in a significant decrease of chemotaxis to all carboxylates except for citrate. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that McpTPR bound preferentially to the monocarboxylate glyoxylate and with lower affinity to the dicarboxylates malate, malonate, and oxalate. However, no direct binding was detected for the remaining three carboxylates that elicited an McpT-dependent chemotaxis response. Taken together, these results demonstrate that McpT is a broad-range carboxylate chemoreceptor that mediates chemotactic response via direct ligand binding and an indirect mechanism that needs to be identified. IMPORTANCE Nitrate pollution is one of the most widespread and challenging environmental problems that is mainly caused by the agricultural overapplication of nitrogen fertilizers. Biological nitrogen fixation by the endosymbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti enhances the growth of its host Medicago sativa (alfalfa), which also efficiently supplies the soil with nitrogen. Establishment of the S. meliloti-alfalfa symbiosis relies on the early exchange and recognition of chemical signals. The present study contributes to the disclosure of this complex molecular dialogue by investigating the underlying mechanisms of carboxylate sensing in S. meliloti. Understanding individual steps that govern the S. meliloti-alfalfa molecular cross talk helps in the development of efficient, commercial bacterial inoculants that promote the growth of alfalfa, which is the most cultivated forage legume in the world, and improves soil fertility.
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17
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Hermann L, Mais CN, Czech L, Smits SHJ, Bange G, Bremer E. The ups and downs of ectoine: structural enzymology of a major microbial stress protectant and versatile nutrient. Biol Chem 2021; 401:1443-1468. [PMID: 32755967 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2020-0223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ectoine and its derivative 5-hydroxyectoine are compatible solutes and chemical chaperones widely synthesized by Bacteria and some Archaea as cytoprotectants during osmotic stress and high- or low-growth temperature extremes. The function-preserving attributes of ectoines led to numerous biotechnological and biomedical applications and fostered the development of an industrial scale production process. Synthesis of ectoines requires the expenditure of considerable energetic and biosynthetic resources. Hence, microorganisms have developed ways to exploit ectoines as nutrients when they are no longer needed as stress protectants. Here, we summarize our current knowledge on the phylogenomic distribution of ectoine producing and consuming microorganisms. We emphasize the structural enzymology of the pathways underlying ectoine biosynthesis and consumption, an understanding that has been achieved only recently. The synthesis and degradation pathways critically differ in the isomeric form of the key metabolite N-acetyldiaminobutyric acid (ADABA). γ-ADABA serves as preferred substrate for the ectoine synthase, while the α-ADABA isomer is produced by the ectoine hydrolase as an intermediate in catabolism. It can serve as internal inducer for the genetic control of ectoine catabolic genes via the GabR/MocR-type regulator EnuR. Our review highlights the importance of structural enzymology to inspire the mechanistic understanding of metabolic networks at the biological scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Hermann
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.,Biochemistry and Synthetic Biology of Microbial Metabolism Group, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von Frisch Str. 10, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Christopher-Nils Mais
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Laura Czech
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Center for Structural Studies, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Gert Bange
- Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO) & Faculty of Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Department of Biology, Laboratory for Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.,Center for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps University Marburg, Hans-Meerwein Str. 6, D-35043 Marburg, Germany
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18
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Feng H, Fu R, Hou X, Lv Y, Zhang N, Liu Y, Xu Z, Miao Y, Krell T, Shen Q, Zhang R. Chemotaxis of Beneficial Rhizobacteria to Root Exudates: The First Step towards Root-Microbe Rhizosphere Interactions. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22136655. [PMID: 34206311 PMCID: PMC8269324 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotaxis, the ability of motile bacteria to direct their movement in gradients of attractants and repellents, plays an important role during the rhizosphere colonization by rhizobacteria. The rhizosphere is a unique niche for plant-microbe interactions. Root exudates are highly complex mixtures of chemoeffectors composed of hundreds of different compounds. Chemotaxis towards root exudates initiates rhizobacteria recruitment and the establishment of bacteria-root interactions. Over the last years, important progress has been made in the identification of root exudate components that play key roles in the colonization process, as well as in the identification of the cognate chemoreceptors. In the first part of this review, we summarized the roles of representative chemoeffectors that induce chemotaxis in typical rhizobacteria and discussed the structure and function of rhizobacterial chemoreceptors. In the second part we reviewed findings on how rhizobacterial chemotaxis and other root-microbe interactions promote the establishment of beneficial rhizobacteria-plant interactions leading to plant growth promotion and protection of plant health. In the last part we identified the existing gaps in the knowledge and discussed future research efforts that are necessary to close them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haichao Feng
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-Based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (H.F.); (R.F.); (X.H.); (Y.L.); (N.Z.); (Z.X.); (Y.M.); (Q.S.)
| | - Ruixin Fu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-Based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (H.F.); (R.F.); (X.H.); (Y.L.); (N.Z.); (Z.X.); (Y.M.); (Q.S.)
| | - Xueqin Hou
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-Based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (H.F.); (R.F.); (X.H.); (Y.L.); (N.Z.); (Z.X.); (Y.M.); (Q.S.)
| | - Yu Lv
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-Based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (H.F.); (R.F.); (X.H.); (Y.L.); (N.Z.); (Z.X.); (Y.M.); (Q.S.)
| | - Nan Zhang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-Based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (H.F.); (R.F.); (X.H.); (Y.L.); (N.Z.); (Z.X.); (Y.M.); (Q.S.)
| | - Yunpeng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China;
| | - Zhihui Xu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-Based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (H.F.); (R.F.); (X.H.); (Y.L.); (N.Z.); (Z.X.); (Y.M.); (Q.S.)
| | - Youzhi Miao
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-Based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (H.F.); (R.F.); (X.H.); (Y.L.); (N.Z.); (Z.X.); (Y.M.); (Q.S.)
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 18008 Granada, Spain;
| | - Qirong Shen
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-Based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (H.F.); (R.F.); (X.H.); (Y.L.); (N.Z.); (Z.X.); (Y.M.); (Q.S.)
| | - Ruifu Zhang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-Based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (H.F.); (R.F.); (X.H.); (Y.L.); (N.Z.); (Z.X.); (Y.M.); (Q.S.)
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-025-84396477
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19
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Compton KK, Scharf BE. Rhizobial Chemoattractants, the Taste and Preferences of Legume Symbionts. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:686465. [PMID: 34017351 PMCID: PMC8129513 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.686465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The development of host-microbe interactions between legumes and their cognate rhizobia requires localization of the bacteria to productive sites of initiation on the plant roots. This end is achieved by the motility apparatus that propels the bacterium and the chemotaxis system that guides it. Motility and chemotaxis aid rhizobia in their competitiveness for space, resources, and nodulation opportunities. Here, we examine studies on chemotaxis of three major model rhizobia, namely Sinorhizobium meliloti, Rhizobium leguminosarum, and Bradyrhizobium japonicum, cataloging their range of attractant molecules and correlating this in the context of root and seed exudate compositions. Current research areas will be summarized, gaps in knowledge discussed, and future directions described.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Birgit E. Scharf
- Department of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences I, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
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20
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Aroney STN, Poole PS, Sánchez-Cañizares C. Rhizobial Chemotaxis and Motility Systems at Work in the Soil. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:725338. [PMID: 34512702 PMCID: PMC8429497 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.725338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria navigate their way often as individual cells through their chemical and biological environment in aqueous medium or across solid surfaces. They swim when starved or in response to physical and chemical stimuli. Flagella-driven chemotaxis in bacteria has emerged as a paradigm for both signal transduction and cellular decision-making. By altering motility, bacteria swim toward nutrient-rich environments, movement modulated by their chemotaxis systems with the addition of pili for surface movement. The numbers and types of chemoreceptors reflect the bacterial niche and lifestyle, with those adapted to complex environments having diverse metabolic capabilities, encoding far more chemoreceptors in their genomes. The Alpha-proteobacteria typify the latter case, with soil bacteria such as rhizobia, endosymbionts of legume plants, where motility and chemotaxis are essential for competitive symbiosis initiation, among other processes. This review describes the current knowledge of motility and chemotaxis in six model soil bacteria: Sinorhizobium meliloti, Agrobacterium fabacearum, Rhizobium leguminosarum, Azorhizobium caulinodans, Azospirillum brasilense, and Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens. Although motility and chemotaxis systems have a conserved core, rhizobia possess several modifications that optimize their movements in soil and root surface environments. The soil provides a unique challenge for microbial mobility, since water pathways through particles are not always continuous, especially in drier conditions. The effectiveness of symbiont inoculants in a field context relies on their mobility and dispersal through the soil, often assisted by water percolation or macroorganism movement or networks. Thus, this review summarizes the factors that make it essential to consider and test rhizobial motility and chemotaxis for any potential inoculant.
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21
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Compton KK, Hildreth SB, Helm RF, Scharf BE. An Updated Perspective on Sinorhizobium meliloti Chemotaxis to Alfalfa Flavonoids. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:581482. [PMID: 33193213 PMCID: PMC7644916 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.581482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The symbiotic interaction between leguminous plants and their cognate rhizobia allows for the fixation of gaseous dinitrogen into bioavailable ammonia. The perception of host-derived flavonoids is a key initial step for the signaling events that must occur preceding the formation of the nitrogen-fixing organ. Past work investigating chemotaxis – the directed movement of bacteria through chemical gradients – of Bradyrhizobium japonicum, Rhizobium leguminosarum, and Rhizobium meliloti discovered chemotaxis to various organic compounds, but focused on chemotaxis to flavonoids because of their relevance to the symbiosis biochemistry. The current work sought to replicate and further examine Sinorhizobium (Ensifer) meliloti chemotaxis to the flavonoids previously thought to act as the principal attractant molecules prior to the initial signaling stage. Exudate from germinating alfalfa seedlings was analyzed for composition and quantities of different flavonoid compounds using mass spectrometry. The abundance of four prevalent flavonoids in germinating alfalfa seed exudates (SEs) was at a ratio of 200:5:5:1 for hyperoside, luteolin, luteolin-7-glucoside, and chrysoeriol. Using quantitative chemotaxis capillary assays, we did not detect chemotaxis of motile S. meliloti cells to these, and two other flavonoids identified in seed exudates. In support of these findings, the flavonoid fraction of seed exudates was found to be an insignificant attractant relative to the more hydrophilic fraction. Additionally, we observed that cosolvents commonly used to dissolve flavonoids confound the results. We propose that the role flavonoids play in S. meliloti chemotaxis is insignificant relative to other components released by alfalfa seeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Karl Compton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences I, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Sherry B Hildreth
- Department of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences I, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Richard F Helm
- Department of Biochemistry, Fralin Life Science Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Birgit E Scharf
- Department of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences I, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
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22
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Sensing of autoinducer-2 by functionally distinct receptors in prokaryotes. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5371. [PMID: 33097715 PMCID: PMC7584622 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19243-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) is a quorum sensing signal that mediates communication within and between many bacterial species. However, its known receptors (LuxP and LsrB families) are not found in all the bacteria capable of responding to this signaling molecule. Here, we identify a third type of AI-2 receptor, consisting of a dCACHE domain. AI-2 binds to the dCACHE domain of chemoreceptors PctA and TlpQ of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, thus inducing chemotaxis and biofilm formation. Boron-free AI-2 is the preferred ligand for PctA and TlpQ. AI-2 also binds to the dCACHE domains of histidine kinase KinD from Bacillus subtilis and diguanylate cyclase rpHK1S-Z16 from Rhodopseudomonas palustris, enhancing their enzymatic activities. dCACHE domains (especially those belonging to a subfamily that includes the AI-2 receptors identified in the present work) are present in a large number of bacterial and archaeal proteins. Our results support the idea that AI-2 serves as a widely used signaling molecule in the coordination of cell behavior among prokaryotic species. The small molecule AI-2 acts as a quorum sensing signal, mediating communication within and between many bacterial species. Here, the authors identify a new type of AI-2 receptor, consisting of a dCACHE domain that is present in many bacterial and archaeal proteins.
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23
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Ortega Á, Krell T. Chemoreceptors with C-terminal pentapeptides for CheR and CheB binding are abundant in bacteria that maintain host interactions. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 18:1947-1955. [PMID: 32774789 PMCID: PMC7390727 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.07.006] [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: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemosensory pathways represent a major prokaryotic signal transduction mechanism that is based on signal sensing by chemoreceptors. An essential feature of chemosensory pathways is the CheR and CheB mediated control of chemoreceptor methylation causing pathway adaptation. At their C-terminal extension the Tar and Tsr model chemoreceptors contain a pentapeptide that acts as an additional CheR and CheB binding site. The relevance of this pentapeptide is poorly understood since pentapeptide removal from Tar/Tsr causes receptor inactivation, whereas many other chemoreceptors do not require this pentapeptide for correct function. We report here a bioinformatic analysis of pentapeptide containing chemoreceptors. These receptors were detected in 11 bacterial phyla and represent approximately 10% of all chemoreceptors. Pentapeptide containing chemoreceptors are mainly found in Gram-negative bacteria, are of low abundance in Gram-positive species and almost absent from archaea. Almost 50% of TarH (Tar homologue) ligand binding domain containing chemoreceptors possess pentapeptides, whereas chemoreceptor families with other ligand binding domains are devoid of pentapeptides. The abundance of chemoreceptors with C-terminal pentapeptides correlated negatively with the number of chemoreceptor genes per genome. The consensus sequence reveals a negative net charge for many pentapeptides. Pentapeptide containing chemoreceptors are very abundant in the order Enterobacterales, particularly in the families Pectobacterium and Dickeya, where they represent about 50% of the total number. In contrast, bacteria with primarily free living lifestyles have a reduced number of pentapeptides, such as approximately 1% for Pseudomonadales. It is proposed that pentapeptide function is related to mechanisms that permit host interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro Ortega
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 'B' and Immunology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Murcia, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Murcia, Spain
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
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Tsai AYL, Oota M, Sawa S. Chemotactic Host-Finding Strategies of Plant Endoparasites and Endophytes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:1167. [PMID: 32849722 PMCID: PMC7411241 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.01167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Plants interact with microorganisms in the environment during all stages of their development and in most of their organs. These interactions can be either beneficial or detrimental for the plant and may be transient or long-term. In extreme cases, microorganisms become endoparastic or endophytic and permanently reside within a plant, while the host plant undergoes developmental reprogramming and produces new tissues or organs as a response to the invasion. Events at the cellular and molecular level following infection have been extensively described, however the mechanisms of how these microorganisms locate their plant hosts via chemotaxis remain largely unknown. In this review, we summarize recent findings concerning the signalling molecules that regulate chemotaxis of endoparasitic/endophytic bacteria, fungi, and nematodes. In particular, we will focus on the molecules secreted by plants that are most likely to act as guidance cues for microorganisms. These compounds are found in a wide range of plant species and show a variety of secondary effects. Interestingly, these compounds show different attraction potencies depending on the species of the invading organism, suggesting that cues perceived in the soil may be more complex than anticipated. However, what the cognate receptors are for these attractants, as well as the mechanism of how these attractants influence these organisms, remain important outstanding questions. Host-targeting marks the first step of plant-microorganism interactions, therefore understanding the signalling molecules involved in this step plays a key role in understanding these interactions as a whole.
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25
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Arapov TD, Saldaña RC, Sebastian AL, Ray WK, Helm RF, Scharf BE. Cellular Stoichiometry of Chemotaxis Proteins in Sinorhizobium meliloti. J Bacteriol 2020; 202:e00141-20. [PMID: 32393521 PMCID: PMC7317046 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00141-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotaxis systems enable microbes to sense their immediate environment, moving toward beneficial stimuli and away from those that are harmful. In an effort to better understand the chemotaxis system of Sinorhizobium meliloti, a symbiont of the legume alfalfa, the cellular stoichiometries of all ten chemotaxis proteins in S. meliloti were determined. A combination of quantitative immunoblot and mass spectrometry revealed that the protein stoichiometries in S. meliloti varied greatly from those in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis To compare protein ratios to other systems, values were normalized to the central kinase CheA. All S. meliloti chemotaxis proteins exhibited increased ratios to various degrees. The 10-fold higher molar ratio of adaptor proteins CheW1 and CheW2 to CheA might result in the formation of rings in the chemotaxis array that consist of only CheW instead of CheA and CheW in a 1:1 ratio. We hypothesize that the higher ratio of CheA to the main response regulator CheY2 is a consequence of the speed-variable motor in S. meliloti, instead of a switch-type motor. Similarly, proteins involved in signal termination are far more abundant in S. meliloti, which utilizes a phosphate sink mechanism based on CheA retrophosphorylation to inactivate the motor response regulator versus CheZ-catalyzed dephosphorylation as in E. coli and B. subtilis Finally, the abundance of CheB and CheR, which regulate chemoreceptor methylation, was increased compared to CheA, indicative of variations in the adaptation system of S. meliloti Collectively, these results mark significant differences in the composition of bacterial chemotaxis systems.IMPORTANCE The symbiotic soil bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti contributes greatly to host-plant growth by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. The provision of nitrogen as ammonium by S. meliloti leads to increased biomass production of its legume host alfalfa and diminishes the use of environmentally harmful chemical fertilizers. To better understand the role of chemotaxis in host-microbe interaction, a comprehensive catalogue of the bacterial chemotaxis system is vital, including its composition, function, and regulation. The stoichiometry of chemotaxis proteins in S. meliloti has very few similarities to the systems in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis In addition, total amounts of proteins are significantly lower. S. meliloti exhibits a chemotaxis system distinct from known models by incorporating new proteins as exemplified by the phosphate sink mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timofey D Arapov
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Amanda L Sebastian
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - W Keith Ray
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Richard F Helm
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Birgit E Scharf
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
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Matilla MA, Martín-Mora D, Krell T. The use of isothermal titration calorimetry to unravel chemotactic signalling mechanisms. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:3005-3019. [PMID: 32329116 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Chemotaxis is based on the action of chemosensory pathways and is typically initiated by the recognition of chemoeffectors at chemoreceptor ligand-binding domains (LBD). Chemosensory signalling is highly complex; aspect that is not only reflected in the intricate interaction between many signalling proteins but also in the fact that bacteria frequently possess multiple chemosensory pathways and often a large number of chemoreceptors, which are mostly of unknown function. We review here the usefulness of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) to study this complexity. ITC is the gold standard for studying binding processes due to its precision and sensitivity, as well as its capability to determine simultaneously the association equilibrium constant, enthalpy change and stoichiometry of binding. There is now evidence that members of all major LBD families can be produced as individual recombinant proteins that maintain their ligand-binding properties. High-throughput screening of these proteins using thermal shift assays offer interesting initial information on chemoreceptor ligands, providing the basis for microcalorimetric analyses and microbiological experimentation. ITC has permitted the identification and characterization of many chemoreceptors with novel specificities. This ITC-based approach can also be used to identify signal molecules that stimulate members of other families of sensor proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Matilla
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - David Martín-Mora
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
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Rath H, Reder A, Hoffmann T, Hammer E, Seubert A, Bremer E, Völker U, Mäder U. Management of Osmoprotectant Uptake Hierarchy in Bacillus subtilis via a SigB-Dependent Antisense RNA. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:622. [PMID: 32373088 PMCID: PMC7186363 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Under hyperosmotic conditions, bacteria accumulate compatible solutes through synthesis or import. Bacillus subtilis imports a large set of osmostress protectants via five osmotically controlled transport systems (OpuA to OpuE). Biosynthesis of the particularly effective osmoprotectant glycine betaine requires the exogenous supply of choline. While OpuB is rather specific for choline, OpuC imports a broad spectrum of compatible solutes, including choline and glycine betaine. One previously mapped antisense RNA of B. subtilis, S1290, exhibits strong and transient expression in response to a suddenly imposed salt stress. It covers the coding region of the opuB operon and is expressed from a strictly SigB-dependent promoter. By inactivation of this promoter and analysis of opuB and opuC transcript levels, we discovered a time-delayed osmotic induction of opuB that crucially depends on the S1290 antisense RNA and on the degree of the imposed osmotic stress. Time-delayed osmotic induction of opuB is apparently caused by transcriptional interference of RNA-polymerase complexes driving synthesis of the converging opuB and S1290 mRNAs. When our data are viewed in an ecophysiological framework, it appears that during the early adjustment phase of B. subtilis to acute osmotic stress, the cell prefers to initially rely on the transport activity of the promiscuous OpuC system and only subsequently fully induces opuB. Our data also reveal an integration of osmostress-specific adjustment systems with the SigB-controlled general stress response at a deeper level than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermann Rath
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Alexander Reder
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Elke Hammer
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Andreas Seubert
- Faculty of Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Uwe Völker
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.,Institute of Marine Biotechnology e.V. (IMaB), Greifswald, Germany
| | - Ulrike Mäder
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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28
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Ye X, Li Z, Luo X, Wang W, Li Y, Li R, Zhang B, Qiao Y, Zhou J, Fan J, Wang H, Huang Y, Cao H, Cui Z, Zhang R. A predatory myxobacterium controls cucumber Fusarium wilt by regulating the soil microbial community. MICROBIOME 2020; 8:49. [PMID: 32252828 PMCID: PMC7137222 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-020-00824-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myxobacteria are micropredators in the soil ecosystem with the capacity to move and feed cooperatively. Some myxobacterial strains have been used to control soil-borne fungal phytopathogens. However, interactions among myxobacteria, plant pathogens, and the soil microbiome are largely unexplored. In this study, we aimed to investigate the behaviors of the myxobacterium Corallococcus sp. strain EGB in the soil and its effect on the soil microbiome after inoculation for controlling cucumber Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum (FOC). RESULTS A greenhouse and a 2-year field experiment demonstrated that the solid-state fermented strain EGB significantly reduced the cucumber Fusarium wilt by 79.6% (greenhouse), 66.0% (2015, field), and 53.9% (2016, field). Strain EGB adapted to the soil environment well and decreased the abundance of soil-borne FOC efficiently. Spatiotemporal analysis of the soil microbial community showed that strain EGB migrated towards the roots and root exudates of the cucumber plants via chemotaxis. Cooccurrence network analysis of the soil microbiome indicated a decreased modularity and community number but an increased connection number per node after the application of strain EGB. Several predatory bacteria, such as Lysobacter, Microvirga, and Cupriavidus, appearing as hubs or indicators, showed intensive connections with other bacteria. CONCLUSION The predatory myxobacterium Corallococcus sp. strain EGB controlled cucumber Fusarium wilt by migrating to the plant root and regulating the soil microbial community. This strain has the potential to be developed as a novel biological control agent of soil-borne Fusarium wilt. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianfeng Ye
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Science of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhoukun Li
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Science of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue Luo
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Science of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenhui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongkai Li
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Science of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Li
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Science of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Science of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Science of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Science of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaqin Fan
- Key Laboratory of Monitoring and Management of Plant Diseases and Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Soil Environment and Pollution Remediation, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Science of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Cao
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Science of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongli Cui
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environmental Microbiology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Life Science of Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of plant immunity, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ruifu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China.
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29
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Liu Y, Feng H, Chen L, Zhang H, Dong X, Xiong Q, Zhang R. Root-Secreted Spermine Binds to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SQR9 Histidine Kinase KinD and Modulates Biofilm Formation. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2020; 33:423-432. [PMID: 31741422 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-07-19-0201-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The signal molecules in root exudates that are sensed by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are critical to regulate their root colonization. Phosphorylated Spo0A is an important global transcriptional regulator that controls colonization and sporulation in Bacillus species. In this study, we found that deletion of kinD from PGPR strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SQR9, encoding an original phosphate donor of Spo0A, resulted in reduced biofilm formation in root exudates compared with the wild-type strain, indicating that KinD is responsible for sensing root exudates. Ligands of B. amyloliquefaciens SQR9 KinD in cucumber root exudates were determined by both the nontargeted ligand fishing method and the targeted surface plasmon resonance detection method. In total, we screened 80 compounds in root exudates for binding to KinD and found that spermine and guanosine could bind to KinD with dissociation constant values of 213 and 51 μΜ, respectively. In addition, calcium l-threonate, N-acetyl-l-aspartic acid, sodium decanoic acid, and parabanic acid could also bind weakly to KinD. The three-dimensional binding models were then constructed to demonstrate the interactions between the root-secreted signals and KinD. It was observed that exogenous spermine reduced the wrinkles of biofilm when kinD was deleted, indicating that KinD might be involved in sensing root-secreted spermine and stabilizing biofilm in response to this negative effector. This study provided a new insight of interaction between a rhizobacterial sensor and root-secreted signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, P.R. China
| | - Haichao Feng
- Jiangsu Key Lab and Engineering Center for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P.R. China
| | - Lin Chen
- Experimental Center of Forestry in North China, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 102300, P. R. China
| | - Huihui Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Lab and Engineering Center for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoyan Dong
- Jiangsu Key Lab and Engineering Center for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P.R. China
| | - Qin Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, P.R. China
| | - Ruifu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, P.R. China
- Jiangsu Key Lab and Engineering Center for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P.R. China
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30
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Parallel quorum-sensing system in Vibrio cholerae prevents signal interference inside the host. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008313. [PMID: 32059031 PMCID: PMC7046293 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Many bacteria use quorum sensing (QS) to regulate virulence factor production in response to changes in population density. QS is mediated through the production, secretion, and detection of signaling molecules called autoinducers (AIs) to modulate population-wide behavioral changes. Four histidine kinases, LuxPQ, CqsS, CqsR and VpsS, have been identified in Vibrio cholerae as QS receptors to activate virulence gene expression at low cell density. Detection of AIs by these receptors leads to virulence gene repression at high cell density. The redundancy among these receptors is puzzling since any one of the four receptors is sufficient to support colonization of V. cholerae in the host small intestine. It is believed that one of the functions of such circuit architecture is to prevent interference on any single QS receptor. However, it is unclear what natural molecules can interfere V. cholerae QS and in what environment interference is detrimental. We show here mutants expressing only CqsR without the other three QS receptors are defective in colonizing the host large intestine. We identified ethanolamine, a common intestinal metabolite that can function as a chemical source of QS interference. Ethanolamine specifically interacts with the ligand-binding CACHE domain of CqsR and induces a premature QS response in V. cholerae mutants expressing only CqsR without the other three QS receptors. The effect of ethanolamine on QS gene expression and host colonization is abolished by mutations that disrupt CqsR signal sensing. V. cholerae defective in producing ethanolamine is still proficient in QS, therefore, ethanolamine functions only as an external cue for CqsR. Our findings suggest the inhibitory effect of ethanolamine on CqsR could be a possible source of QS interference but is masked by the presence of the other parallel QS pathways, allowing V. cholerae to robustly colonize the host. Many pathogens use quorum sensing (QS) to regulate virulence gene expression for their survival and adaptation inside hosts. QS depends on the production and detection of chemical signals called autoinducers made endogenously by the bacteria. However, chemicals present in the surrounding environment could potentially lead to quorum signal interference, resulting in mis-regulation of virulence factor production and preventing effective host colonization. We show here ethanolamine, a metabolite commonly found inside the mammalian intestine, modulates the activity of one of the QS receptors in Vibrio cholerae, the etiological agent of the disease cholera. Despite the abundance of this common metabolite inside the host, by integrating multiple parallel signal inputs into its QS system, V. cholerae has evolved to maintain QS fidelity and avoids signal interference to allow robust colonization of the host.
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Abstract
Many bacteria possess a large number of chemoreceptors that recognize a variety of different compounds. More than 60% of the genomes analyzed in this study contain paralogous chemoreceptors, suggesting that they emerge with high frequency. We provide first insight on how paralogous receptors have evolved and show that two chemoreceptors with a narrow ligand range have evolved from an ancestral protein with a broad chemoeffector spectrum. Protein structures show that multiple changes in the ligand-binding site account for the differences in the ligand spectrum. This work lays the ground for further studies aimed at establishing whether the principles of ligand-binding evolution reported here can be generalized for a wider spectrum of sensory proteins in bacteria. Chemoreceptor-based signaling pathways are among the major modes of bacterial signal transduction, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 is an important model to study their function. Of the 26 chemoreceptors of this strain, PctA has a broad ligand range and responds to most of the proteinogenic amino acids, whereas PctB and PctC have a much narrower range and show strong ligand preference for l-glutamine and γ-aminobutyrate, respectively. Using several comparative genomics approaches, we show that these receptors are paralogs: pctA gene duplication in the common ancestor of the genus Pseudomonas led to pctC, whereas pctB originated through another, independent pctA duplication in the common ancestor of P. aeruginosa. Thus, the broad-range amino acid chemoreceptor was evolutionarily older, and chemoreceptors that complemented “missing” amino acid sensing abilities arose later in specific Pseudomonas lineages. Using comparative sequence analysis, newly solved crystal structures of PctA, PctB, and PctC ligand-binding domains, and their molecular dynamics simulations, we identified a conserved amino acid recognition motif and changes in the ligand-binding pocket that led to novel ligand specificities. In addition, we determined major forces driving the evolution of this group of chemoreceptors.
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32
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Liu Y, Feng H, Fu R, Zhang N, Du W, Shen Q, Zhang R. Induced root-secreted D-galactose functions as a chemoattractant and enhances the biofilm formation of Bacillus velezensis SQR9 in an McpA-dependent manner. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 104:785-797. [PMID: 31813049 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-10265-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Chemotaxis towards root exudates and subsequent biofilm formation are very important for root colonization and for providing the beneficial functions of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs). In this study, in comparison with other root-secreted compounds, D-galactose in the root exudates of cucumber was found to be a strong chemoattractant at the concentration of 1 μM for Bacillus velezensis SQR9. Chemotaxis assays with methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs) deletion strains demonstrated that McpA was solely responsible for chemotaxis towards D-galactose. Interestingly, D-galactose significantly enhanced the biofilm formation of SQR9 in an McpA-dependent manner. Further experiment showed that D-galactose also enhanced root colonization by SQR9. In addition, the secretion of D-galactose by cucumber roots could be induced by inoculation with SQR9, indicating that D-galactose may be an important signal in the interaction between plant and SQR9. These findings suggested that the root-secreted D-galactose was a signal, the secretion of which was induced by the beneficial bacteria, and which in turn induced colonization of the bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Haichao Feng
- Jiangsu Key Lab and Engineering Center for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruixin Fu
- Jiangsu Key Lab and Engineering Center for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Lab and Engineering Center for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenbin Du
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, People's Republic of China
| | - Qirong Shen
- Jiangsu Key Lab and Engineering Center for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruifu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China.
- Jiangsu Key Lab and Engineering Center for Solid Organic Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, People's Republic of China.
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33
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Picking JW, Behrman EJ, Zhang L, Krzycki JA. MtpB, a member of the MttB superfamily from the human intestinal acetogen Eubacterium limosum, catalyzes proline betaine demethylation. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:13697-13707. [PMID: 31341018 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.009886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The trimethylamine methyltransferase MttB is the founding member of a widely distributed superfamily of microbial proteins. Genes encoding most members of the MttB superfamily lack the codon for pyrrolysine that distinguishes previously characterized trimethylamine methyltransferases, leaving the function(s) of most of the enzymes in this superfamily unknown. Here, investigating the MttB family member MtpB from the human intestinal isolate Eubacterium limosum ATCC 8486, an acetogen that excretes N-methyl proline during growth on proline betaine, we demonstrate that MtpB catalyzes anoxic demethylation of proline betaine. MtpB along with MtqC (a corrinoid protein) and MtqA (a methylcorrinoid:tetrahydrofolate methyltransferase) was much more abundant in E. limosum cells grown on proline betaine than on lactate. We observed that recombinant MtpB methylates Co(I)-MtqC in the presence of proline betaine and that other quaternary amines are much less preferred substrates. MtpB, MtqC, and MtqA catalyze tetrahydrofolate methylation with proline betaine, thereby forming a key intermediate in the Wood-Ljungdahl acetogenesis pathway. To our knowledge, MtpB methylation of Co(I)-MtqC for the subsequent methylation of tetrahydrofolate represents the first described anoxic mechanism of proline betaine demethylation. The activities of MtpB and associated proteins in acetogens or other anaerobes provide a possible mechanism for the production of N-methyl proline by the gut microbiome. MtpB's activity characterized here strengthens the hypothesis that much of the MttB superfamily comprises quaternary amine-dependent methyltransferases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan W Picking
- Ohio State Biochemistry Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Edward J Behrman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Liwen Zhang
- Campus Chemical Instrument Center Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Joseph A Krzycki
- Ohio State Biochemistry Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 .,Department of Microbiology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
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Feng H, Zhang N, Fu R, Liu Y, Krell T, Du W, Shao J, Shen Q, Zhang R. Recognition of dominant attractants by key chemoreceptors mediates recruitment of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. Environ Microbiol 2019; 21:402-415. [PMID: 30421582 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Chemotaxis to plant root exudates is supposed to be a prerequisite for efficient root colonization by rhizobacteria. This is a highly multifactorial process since root exudates are complex compound mixtures of which components are recognized by different chemoreceptors. Little information is available as to the key components in root exudates and their receptors that drive colonization related chemotaxis. We present here the first global assessment of this issue using the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) Bacillus velezensis SQR9 (formerly B. amyloliquefaciens). This strain efficiently colonizes cucumber roots, and here, we show that chemotaxis to cucumber root exudates was essential in this process. We conducted chemotaxis assays using cucumber root exudates at different concentrations, individual exudate components as well as recomposed exudates, taking into account their concentrations detected in root exudates. Results indicated that two key chemoreceptors, McpA and McpC, were essential for root exudate chemotaxis and root colonization. Both receptors possess a broad ligand range and recognize most of the exudate key components identified (malic, fumaric, gluconic and glyceric acids, Lys, Ser, Ala and mannose). The remaining six chemoreceptors did not contribute to exudate chemotaxis. This study provides novel insight into the evolution of the chemotaxis system in rhizobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haichao Feng
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.,Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Ruixin Fu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yunpeng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 18008, Granada, Spain
| | - Wenbin Du
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Jiahui Shao
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Qirong Shen
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Ruifu Zhang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.,Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
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Structure of the sensory domain of McpX from Sinorhizobium meliloti, the first known bacterial chemotactic sensor for quaternary ammonium compounds. Biochem J 2018; 475:3949-3962. [PMID: 30442721 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20180769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The α-proteobacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti can live freely in the soil or engage in a symbiosis with its legume host. S. meliloti facilitates nitrogen fixation in root nodules, thus providing pivotal, utilizable nitrogen to the host. The organism has eight chemoreceptors, namely McpT to McpZ and IcpA that facilitate chemotaxis. McpX is the first known bacterial sensor of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) such as choline and betaines. Because QACs are exuded at chemotaxis-relevant concentrations by germinating alfalfa seeds, McpX has been proposed to contribute to host-specific chemotaxis. We have determined the crystal structure of the McpX periplasmic region (McpXPR) in complex with the proline betaine at 2.7 Å resolution. In the crystal, the protein forms a symmetric dimer with one proline betaine molecule bound to each monomer of McpXPR within membrane-distal CACHE module. The ligand is bound through cation-πinteractions with four aromatic amino acid residues. Mutational analysis in conjunction with binding studies revealed that a conserved aspartate residue is pivotal for ligand binding. We discovered that, in a striking example of convergent evolution, the ligand-binding site of McpXPR resembles that of a group of structurally unrelated betaine-binding proteins including ProX and OpuAC. Through this comparison and docking studies, we rationalized the specificity of McpXPR for this specific group of ligands. Collectively, our structural, biochemical, and molecular docking data have revealed the molecular determinants in McpX that are crucial for its rare ligand specificity for QACs.
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Martín-Mora D, Fernández M, Velando F, Ortega Á, Gavira JA, Matilla MA, Krell T. Functional Annotation of Bacterial Signal Transduction Systems: Progress and Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19123755. [PMID: 30486299 PMCID: PMC6321045 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19123755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria possess a large number of signal transduction systems that sense and respond to different environmental cues. Most frequently these are transcriptional regulators, two-component systems and chemosensory pathways. A major bottleneck in the field of signal transduction is the lack of information on signal molecules that modulate the activity of the large majority of these systems. We review here the progress made in the functional annotation of sensor proteins using high-throughput ligand screening approaches of purified sensor proteins or individual ligand binding domains. In these assays, the alteration in protein thermal stability following ligand binding is monitored using Differential Scanning Fluorimetry. We illustrate on several examples how the identification of the sensor protein ligand has facilitated the elucidation of the molecular mechanism of the regulatory process. We will also discuss the use of virtual ligand screening approaches to identify sensor protein ligands. Both approaches have been successfully applied to functionally annotate a significant number of bacterial sensor proteins but can also be used to study proteins from other kingdoms. The major challenge consists in the study of sensor proteins that do not recognize signal molecules directly, but that are activated by signal molecule-loaded binding proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Martín-Mora
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain.
| | - Matilde Fernández
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain.
| | - Félix Velando
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain.
| | - Álvaro Ortega
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 'B' and Immunology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Murcia, Campus of Espinardo, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", 30100 Murcia, Spain.
| | - José A Gavira
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, IACT, (CSIC-UGR), Avenida las Palmeras 4, 18100 Armilla, Spain.
| | - Miguel A Matilla
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain.
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Prof. Albareda 1, 18008 Granada, Spain.
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Sinorhizobium meliloti Chemoreceptor McpV Senses Short-Chain Carboxylates via Direct Binding. J Bacteriol 2018; 200:JB.00519-18. [PMID: 30201781 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00519-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sinorhizobium meliloti is a soil-dwelling endosymbiont of alfalfa that has eight chemoreceptors to sense environmental stimuli during its free-living state. The functions of two receptors have been characterized, with McpU and McpX serving as general amino acid and quaternary ammonium compound sensors, respectively. Both receptors use a dual Cache (calcium channels and chemotaxis receptors) domain for ligand binding. We identified that the ligand-binding periplasmic region (PR) of McpV contains a single Cache domain. Homology modeling revealed that McpVPR is structurally similar to a sensor domain of a chemoreceptor with unknown function from Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans, which crystallized with acetate in its binding pocket. We therefore assayed McpV for carboxylate binding and S. meliloti for carboxylate sensing. Differential scanning fluorimetry identified 10 potential ligands for McpVPR Nine of these are monocarboxylates with chain lengths between two and four carbons. We selected seven compounds for capillary assay analysis, which established positive chemotaxis of the S. meliloti wild type, with concentrations of peak attraction at 1 mM for acetate, propionate, pyruvate, and glycolate, and at 100 mM for formate and acetoacetate. Deletion of mcpV or mutation of residues essential for ligand coordination abolished positive chemotaxis to carboxylates. Using microcalorimetry, we determined that dissociation constants of the seven ligands with McpVPR were in the micromolar range. An McpVPR variant with a mutation in the ligand coordination site displayed no binding to isobutyrate or propionate. Of all the carboxylates tested as attractants, only glycolate was detected in alfalfa seed exudates. This work examines the relevance of carboxylates and their sensor to the rhizobium-legume interaction.IMPORTANCE Legumes share a unique association with certain soil-dwelling bacteria known broadly as rhizobia. Through concerted interorganismal communication, a legume allows intracellular infection by its cognate rhizobial species. The plant then forms an organ, the root nodule, dedicated to housing and supplying fixed carbon and nutrients to the bacteria. In return, the engulfed rhizobia, differentiated into bacteroids, fix atmospheric N2 into ammonium for the plant host. This interplay is of great benefit to the cultivation of legumes, such as alfalfa and soybeans, and is initiated by chemotaxis to the host plant. This study on carboxylate chemotaxis contributes to the understanding of rhizobial survival and competition in the rhizosphere and aids the development of commercial inoculants.
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Feng H, Zhang N, Du W, Zhang H, Liu Y, Fu R, Shao J, Zhang G, Shen Q, Zhang R. Identification of Chemotaxis Compounds in Root Exudates and Their Sensing Chemoreceptors in Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SQR9. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2018; 31:995-1005. [PMID: 29714096 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-01-18-0003-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Chemotaxis-mediated response to root exudates, initiated by sensing-specific ligands through methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCP), is very important for root colonization and beneficial functions of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Systematic identification of chemoattractants in complex root exudates and their sensing chemoreceptors in PGPR is helpful for enhancing their recruitment and colonization. In this study, 39 chemoattractants and 5 chemorepellents, including amino acids, organic acids, and sugars, were identified from 98 tested components of root exudates for the well-studied PGPR strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SQR9. Interestingly, mutant stain SQR9Δ8mcp, with all eight putative chemoreceptors completely deleted, lost the chemotactic responses to those 44 compounds. Gene complementation, chemotaxis assay, and isothermal titration calorimetry analysis revealed that McpA was mainly responsible for sensing organic acids and amino acids, while McpC was mostly for amino acids. These two chemoreceptors may play important roles in the rhizosphere chemotaxis of SQR9. In contrast, the B. amyloliquefaciens-unique chemoreceptor McpR was specifically responsible for arginine, and residues Tyr-78, Thr-131, and Asp-162 were critical for arginine binding. This study not only deepened our insights into PGPR-root interaction but also provided useful information to enhance the rhizosphere chemotaxis mobility and colonization of PGPR, which will promote their application in agricultural production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haichao Feng
- 1 Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P.R. China
- 2 Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R. China; and
| | - Nan Zhang
- 1 Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P.R. China
| | - Wenbin Du
- 3 State Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Huihui Zhang
- 1 Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P.R. China
| | - Yunpeng Liu
- 2 Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R. China; and
| | - Ruixin Fu
- 1 Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P.R. China
| | - Jiahui Shao
- 1 Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P.R. China
| | - Guishan Zhang
- 2 Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R. China; and
| | - Qirong Shen
- 1 Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P.R. China
| | - Ruifu Zhang
- 1 Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for Organic Solid Waste Utilization, National Engineering Research Center for Organic-based Fertilizers, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, P.R. China
- 2 Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R. China; and
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Gavira JA, Ortega Á, Martín-Mora D, Conejero-Muriel MT, Corral-Lugo A, Morel B, Matilla MA, Krell T. Structural Basis for Polyamine Binding at the dCACHE Domain of the McpU Chemoreceptor from Pseudomonas putida. J Mol Biol 2018; 430:1950-1963. [PMID: 29758259 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Many bacteria can move chemotactically to a variety of compounds and the recognition of chemoeffectors by the chemoreceptor ligand binding domain (LBD) defines the specificity of response. Many chemoreceptors were found to recognize different amino and organic acids, but the McpU chemoreceptor from Pseudomonas putida was identified as the first chemoreceptor that bound specifically polyamines. We report here the three-dimensional structure of McpU-LBD in complex with putrescine at a resolution of 2.4 Å, which fitted well a solution structure generated by small-angle X-ray scattering. Putrescine bound to a negatively charged pocket in the membrane distal module of McpU-LBD. Similarities exist in the binding of putrescine to McpU-LBD and taurine to the LBD of the Mlp37 chemoreceptor of Vibrio cholerae. In both structures, the primary amino group of the respective ligand is recognized by hydrogen bonds established by two aspartate and a tyrosine side chain. This feature may be used to predict the ligands of chemoreceptors with unknown function. Analytical ultracentrifugation revealed that McpU-LBD is monomeric in solution and that ligand binding does not alter this oligomeric state. This sensing mode thus differs from that of the well-characterised four-helix bundle domains where ligands bind to two sites at the LBD dimer interface. Although there appear to be different sensing modes, results are discussed in the context of data, indicating that chemoreceptors employ the same mechanism of transmembrane signaling. This work enhances our understanding of CACHE domains, which are the most abundant sensor domains in bacterial chemoreceptors and sensor kinases.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Antonio Gavira
- Laboratory of Crystallographic Studies, IACT, (CSIC-UGR), Avenida de las Palmeras 4, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
| | - Álvaro Ortega
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - David Martín-Mora
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - María Teresa Conejero-Muriel
- Laboratory of Crystallographic Studies, IACT, (CSIC-UGR), Avenida de las Palmeras 4, 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
| | - Andrés Corral-Lugo
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - Bertrand Morel
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - Miguel A Matilla
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - Tino Krell
- Department of Environmental Protection, Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain.
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Cellular Stoichiometry of Methyl-Accepting Chemotaxis Proteins in Sinorhizobium meliloti. J Bacteriol 2018; 200:JB.00614-17. [PMID: 29263102 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00614-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The chemosensory system in Sinorhizobium meliloti has several important deviations from the widely studied enterobacterial paradigm. To better understand the differences between the two systems and how they are optimally tuned, we determined the cellular stoichiometry of the methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs) and the histidine kinase CheA in S. meliloti Quantitative immunoblotting was used to determine the total amount of MCPs and CheA per cell in S. meliloti The MCPs are present in the cell in high abundance (McpV), low abundance (IcpA, McpU, McpX, and McpW), and very low abundance (McpY and McpZ), whereas McpT was below the detection limit. The approximate cellular ratio of these three receptor groups is 300:30:1. The chemoreceptor-to-CheA ratio is 23.5:1, highly similar to that seen in Bacillus subtilis (23:1) and about 10 times higher than that in Escherichia coli (3.4:1). Different from E. coli, the high-abundance receptors in S. meliloti are lacking the carboxy-terminal NWETF pentapeptide that binds the CheR methyltransferase and CheB methylesterase. Using transcriptional lacZ fusions, we showed that chemoreceptors are positively controlled by the master regulators of motility, VisNR and Rem. In addition, FlbT, a class IIA transcriptional regulator of flagellins, also positively regulates the expression of most chemoreceptors except for McpT and McpY, identifying chemoreceptors as class III genes. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the chemosensory complex and the adaptation system in S. meliloti deviates significantly from the established enterobacterial paradigm but shares some similarities with B. subtilisIMPORTANCE The symbiotic soil bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti is of great agricultural importance because of its nitrogen-fixing properties, which enhances growth of its plant symbiont, alfalfa. Chemotaxis provides a competitive advantage for bacteria to sense their environment and interact with their eukaryotic hosts. For a better understanding of the role of chemotaxis in these processes, detailed knowledge on the regulation and composition of the chemosensory machinery is essential. Here, we show that chemoreceptor gene expression in S. meliloti is controlled through the main transcriptional regulators of motility. Chemoreceptor abundance is much lower in S. meliloti than in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis Moreover, the chemoreceptor-to-kinase CheA ratio is different from that of E. coli but similar to that of B. subtilis.
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Bi S, Sourjik V. Stimulus sensing and signal processing in bacterial chemotaxis. Curr Opin Microbiol 2018; 45:22-29. [PMID: 29459288 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Revised: 01/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Motile bacteria use chemotaxis to migrate towards environments that are favorable for growth and survival. The signaling pathway that mediates this behavior is largely conserved among prokaryotes, with Escherichia coli chemotaxis system being one of the simplest and the best studied. At the core of this pathway are the arrays of clustered chemoreceptors that detect, amplify and integrate various stimuli. Recent work provided deeper understanding of spatial organization and signal processing by these clusters and uncovered the variety of sensory mechanisms used to detect environmental stimuli. Moreover, studies of bacteria with different lifestyles have led to new insights into the diversity and evolutionary conservation of the chemotaxis pathway, as well as the physiological relevance of chemotactic behavior in different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangyu Bi
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 16, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Victor Sourjik
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 16, 35043 Marburg, Germany.
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Abstract
Although the mechanism of bacterial chemotaxis has been extensively studied in enteric bacteria, the hunt for novel and atypical chemoeffectors (in enterics and distantly-related species alike) has necessitated the modification of classic chemotaxis assays to deal with recalcitrant and potentially toxic chemicals. Here, we describe detailed protocols for the quantitative and qualitative assessment of chemotaxis responses that are categorized into short-term direct population response assays and long-term metabolism-based assays that can be used to identify novel chemoeffector molecules and the specific chemoreceptors involved. We emphasize the importance of behavior-based assays to verify the biochemical and physiological relevance of newly identified chemoeffector-receptor pairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Parales
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jayna L Ditty
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN, USA.
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Abstract
Identifying chemoreceptors in sequenced bacterial genomes, revealing their domain architecture, inferring their evolutionary relationships, and comparing them to chemoreceptors of known function become important steps in genome annotation and chemotaxis research. Here, we describe bioinformatics procedures that enable such analyses, using two closely related bacterial genomes as examples.
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Hintsche M, Waljor V, Großmann R, Kühn MJ, Thormann KM, Peruani F, Beta C. A polar bundle of flagella can drive bacterial swimming by pushing, pulling, or coiling around the cell body. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16771. [PMID: 29196650 PMCID: PMC5711944 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16428-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria swim in sequences of straight runs that are interrupted by turning events. They drive their swimming locomotion with the help of rotating helical flagella. Depending on the number of flagella and their arrangement across the cell body, different run-and-turn patterns can be observed. Here, we present fluorescence microscopy recordings showing that cells of the soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida that are decorated with a polar tuft of helical flagella, can alternate between two distinct swimming patterns. On the one hand, they can undergo a classical push-pull-push cycle that is well known from monopolarly flagellated bacteria but has not been reported for species with a polar bundle of multiple flagella. Alternatively, upon leaving the pulling mode, they can enter a third slow swimming phase, where they propel themselves with their helical bundle wrapped around the cell body. A theoretical estimate based on a random-walk model shows that the spreading of a population of swimmers is strongly enhanced when cycling through a sequence of pushing, pulling, and wrapped flagellar configurations as compared to the simple push-pull-push pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Hintsche
- University of Potsdam, Institute of Physics and Astronomy, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Veronika Waljor
- University of Potsdam, Institute of Physics and Astronomy, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Robert Großmann
- Université Côte d'Azur, Laboratoire J. A. Dieudonné, UMR 7351 CNRS, F-06108, Nice Cedex 02, France
| | - Marco J Kühn
- Institut für Mikrobiologie und Molekularbiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Kai M Thormann
- Institut für Mikrobiologie und Molekularbiologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Fernando Peruani
- Université Côte d'Azur, Laboratoire J. A. Dieudonné, UMR 7351 CNRS, F-06108, Nice Cedex 02, France
| | - Carsten Beta
- University of Potsdam, Institute of Physics and Astronomy, 14476, Potsdam, Germany.
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Abstract
Chemoreceptors in bacteria detect a variety of signals and feed this information into chemosensory pathways that represent a major mode of signal transduction. The five chemoreceptors from Escherichia coli have served as traditional models in the study of this protein family. Genome analyses revealed that many bacteria contain much larger numbers of chemoreceptors with broader sensory capabilities. Chemoreceptors differ in topology, sensing mode, cellular location, and, above all, the type of ligand binding domain (LBD). Here, we highlight LBD diversity using well-established and emerging model organisms as well as genomic surveys. Nearly a hundred different types of protein domains that are found in chemoreceptor sequences are known or predicted LBDs, but only a few of them are ubiquitous. LBDs of the same class recognize different ligands, and conversely, the same ligand can be recognized by structurally different LBDs; however, recent studies began to reveal common characteristics in signal-LBD relationships. Although signals can stimulate chemoreceptors in a variety of different ways, diverse LBDs appear to employ a universal transmembrane signaling mechanism. Current and future studies aim to establish relationships between LBD types, the nature of signals that they recognize, and the mechanisms of signal recognition and transduction.
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Liu W, Yang J, Sun Y, Liu X, Li Y, Zhang Z, Xie Z. Azorhizobium caulinodans Transmembrane Chemoreceptor TlpA1 Involved in Host Colonization and Nodulation on Roots and Stems. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:1327. [PMID: 28751887 PMCID: PMC5508009 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.01327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571 is a motile soil bacterium that interacts symbiotically with legume host Sesbania rostrata, forming nitrogen-fixing root and stem nodules. Bacterial chemotaxis plays an important role in establishing this symbiotic relationship. To determine the contribution of chemotaxis to symbiosis in A. caulinodans ORS571-S. rostrata, we characterized the function of TlpA1 (transducer-like protein in A. caulinodans), a chemoreceptor predicted by SMART (Simple Modular Architecture Research Tool), containing two N-terminal transmembrane regions. The tlpA1 gene is located immediately upstream of the unique che gene cluster and is transcriptionally co-oriented. We found that a ΔtlpA1 mutant is severely impaired for chemotaxis to various organic acids, glycerol and proline. Furthermore, biofilm forming ability of the strain carrying the mutation is reduced under certain growth conditions. Interestingly, competitive colonization ability on S. rostrata root surfaces is impaired in the ΔtlpA1 mutant, suggesting that chemotaxis of the A. caulinodans ORS571 contributes to root colonization. We also found that TlpA1 promotes competitive nodulation not only on roots but also on stems of S. rostrata. Taken together, our data strongly suggest that TlpA1 is a transmembrane chemoreceptor involved in A. caulinodans-S. rostrata symbiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantai, China
| | - Jinbao Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Shanxi Agricultural UniversityTaigu, China
| | - Yu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantai, China
- School of Resource and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Xiaolin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantai, China
- School of Resource and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Yan Li
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantai, China
| | - Zhenpeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantai, China
- School of Resource and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Zhihong Xie
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesYantai, China
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Bardy SL, Briegel A, Rainville S, Krell T. Recent advances and future prospects in bacterial and archaeal locomotion and signal transduction. J Bacteriol 2017; 199:e00203-17. [PMID: 28484047 PMCID: PMC5573076 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00203-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Unraveling the structure and function of two-component and chemotactic signaling along with different aspects related to motility of bacteria and archaea are key research areas in modern microbiology. Escherichia coli is the traditional model organism to study chemotaxis signaling and motility. However, the recent study of a wide range of bacteria and even some archaea with different lifestyles has provided new insight into the eco-physiology of chemotaxis, which is essential for the host establishment of different pathogens or beneficial bacteria. The expanded range of model organisms has also permitted the study of chemosensory pathways unrelated to chemotaxis, multiple chemotaxis pathways within an organism, and new types of chemoreceptors. This research has greatly benefitted from technical advances in the field of cryo-microscopy that continues to reveal with increasing resolution the complexity and diversity of large protein complexes like the flagellar motor or chemoreceptor arrays. In addition, sensitive instruments now allow for an increasing number of experiments to be conducted at the single-cell level, thereby revealing information that is beginning to bridge the gap between individual cells and population behavior. Evidence has also accumulated showing that bacteria have evolved different mechanisms for surface sensing, which appears to be mediated by flagella and possibly type IV pili, and that the downstream signaling involves chemosensory pathways and two-component system based processes. Herein we summarize the recent advances and research tendencies in this field as presented at the latest Bacterial Locomotion and Signal Transduction (BLAST XIV) conference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia L. Bardy
- University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee, Biological Sciences, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Simon Rainville
- Laval University, Department of Physics, Engineering Physics and Optics, Quebec City, Québec, Canada
| | - Tino Krell
- Estación Experimental del Zaidín, Granada, Spain
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Teichmann L, Chen C, Hoffmann T, Smits SHJ, Schmitt L, Bremer E. From substrate specificity to promiscuity: hybrid ABC transporters for osmoprotectants. Mol Microbiol 2017; 104:761-780. [PMID: 28256787 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Revised: 02/25/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The ABC-transporters OpuB and OpuC from Bacillus subtilis function as osmoprotectant import systems. Their structural genes have most likely evolved through a duplication event but the two transporters are remarkably different in their substrate profile. OpuB possesses narrow substrate specificity, while OpuC is promiscuous. We assessed the functionality of hybrids between these two ABC-transporters by reciprocally exchanging the coding regions for the OpuBC and OpuCC substrate-binding proteins between the corresponding opuB and opuC operons. Substantiating the critical role of the binding protein in setting the substrate specificity of ABC transporters, OpuB::OpuCC turned into a promiscuous system, while OpuC::OpuBC now exhibited narrow substrate specificity. Both hybrid transporters possessed a high affinity for their substrates but the transport capacity of the OpuB::OpuCC system was moderate due to the synthesis of only low amounts of the xenogenetic OpuCC protein. Suppressor mutations causing single amino acid substitutions in the GbsR repressor controlling the choline to glycine betaine biosynthesis pathway greatly improved OpuB::OpuCC-mediated compatible solute import through transcriptional up-regulation of the hybrid opuB::opuCC operon. Collectively, we demonstrate for the first time that one can synthetically switch the substrate specificity of a given ABC transporter by combining its core components with a xenogenetic ligand-binding protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Teichmann
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
| | - Chiliang Chen
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerweinstr. 6, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
| | - Tamara Hoffmann
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
| | - Sander H J Smits
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, Düsseldorf D-40225, Germany
| | - Lutz Schmitt
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, Düsseldorf D-40225, Germany
| | - Erhard Bremer
- Laboratory for Molecular Microbiology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, Marburg, D-35043, Germany.,LOEWE-Center for Synthetic Microbiology, Philipps-University Marburg, Hans-Meerweinstr. 6, Marburg, D-35043, Germany
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