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Weisberg AJ, Wu Y, Chang JH, Lai EM, Kuo CH. Virulence and Ecology of Agrobacteria in the Context of Evolutionary Genomics. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2023; 61:1-23. [PMID: 37164023 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-phyto-021622-125009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Among plant-associated bacteria, agrobacteria occupy a special place. These bacteria are feared in the field as agricultural pathogens. They cause abnormal growth deformations and significant economic damage to a broad range of plant species. However, these bacteria are revered in the laboratory as models and tools. They are studied to discover and understand basic biological phenomena and used in fundamental plant research and biotechnology. Agrobacterial pathogenicity and capability for transformation are one and the same and rely on functions encoded largely on their oncogenic plasmids. Here, we synthesize a substantial body of elegant work that elucidated agrobacterial virulence mechanisms and described their ecology. We review findings in the context of the natural diversity that has been recently unveiled for agrobacteria and emphasize their genomics and plasmids. We also identify areas of research that can capitalize on recent findings to further transform our understanding of agrobacterial virulence and ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra J Weisberg
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA;
| | - Yu Wu
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan;
- Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jeff H Chang
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA;
| | - Erh-Min Lai
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan;
- Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Horng Kuo
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan;
- Molecular and Biological Agricultural Sciences Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, National Chung Hsing University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
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2
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Kreida S, Narita A, Johnson MD, Tocheva EI, Das A, Ghosal D, Jensen GJ. Cryo-EM structure of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens T4SS-associated T-pilus reveals stoichiometric protein-phospholipid assembly. Structure 2023; 31:385-394.e4. [PMID: 36870333 PMCID: PMC10168017 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2023.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Agrobacterium tumefaciens causes crown gall disease in plants by the horizontal transfer of oncogenic DNA. The conjugation is mediated by the VirB/D4 type 4 secretion system (T4SS) that assembles an extracellular filament, the T-pilus, and is involved in mating pair formation between A. tumefaciens and the recipient plant cell. Here, we present a 3 Å cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the T-pilus solved by helical reconstruction. Our structure reveals that the T-pilus is a stoichiometric assembly of the VirB2 major pilin and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) phospholipid with 5-start helical symmetry. We show that PG head groups and the positively charged Arg 91 residues of VirB2 protomers form extensive electrostatic interactions in the lumen of the T-pilus. Mutagenesis of Arg 91 abolished pilus formation. While our T-pilus structure is architecturally similar to previously published conjugative pili structures, the T-pilus lumen is narrower and positively charged, raising questions of whether the T-pilus is a conduit for ssDNA transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Kreida
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Akihiro Narita
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Matthew D Johnson
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Elitza I Tocheva
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Anath Das
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, and Microbial and Plant Genomics Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Debnath Ghosal
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
| | - Grant J Jensen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84604, USA.
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3
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Hooykaas PJJ. The Ti Plasmid, Driver of Agrobacterium Pathogenesis. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2023; 113:594-604. [PMID: 37098885 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-11-22-0432-ia] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The phytopathogenic bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens causes crown gall disease in plants, characterized by the formation of tumor-like galls where wounds were present. Nowadays, however, the bacterium and its Ti (tumor-inducing) plasmid is better known as an effective vector for the genetic manipulation of plants and fungi. In this review, I will briefly summarize some of the major discoveries that have led to this bacterium now playing such a prominent role worldwide in plant and fungal research at universities and research institutes and in agricultural biotechnology for the production of genetically modified crops. I will then delve a little deeper into some aspects of Agrobacterium biology and discuss the diversity among agrobacteria and the taxonomic position of these bacteria, the diversity in Ti plasmids, the molecular mechanism used by the bacteria to transform plants, and the discovery of protein translocation from the bacteria to host cells as an essential feature of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.
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4
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Yakobov N, Mahmoudi N, Grob G, Yokokawa D, Saga Y, Kushiro T, Worrell D, Roy H, Schaller H, Senger B, Huck L, Riera Gascon G, Becker HD, Fischer F. RNA-dependent synthesis of ergosteryl-3β-O-glycine in Ascomycota expands the diversity of steryl-amino acids. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101657. [PMID: 35131263 PMCID: PMC8913301 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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5
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Wu HY, Lai EM. AGROBEST: A Highly Efficient Agrobacterium-Mediated Transient Expression System in Arabidopsis Seedlings. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2379:113-123. [PMID: 35188659 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1791-5_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation for gene expression is a simple and fast method to analyze transgene functions in plants. Agroinfiltration in leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana is a common method for transient expression. However, agroinfiltration in leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana is challenging due to the low and variable efficiency. Here, we describe procedures of a highly efficient and robust Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression system, named AGROBEST (Agrobacterium-mediated enhanced seedling transformation) for gene expression in A. thaliana seedlings. High efficiency of AGROBEST has been achieved by virulence (vir) gene pre-induction of a specific disarmed Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58C1(pTiB6S3ΔT)H followed by co-cultivation with Arabidopsis seedlings in an optimized medium with AB salts and buffered acidic plant culture medium. The stable acidic medium largely increases Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression levels and reduces plant defense responses, suggesting that AGROBEST enables high transient expression efficiency by compromising plant immunity. In summary, AGROBEST is a simple, fast, reliable, and robust transient expression system offering a quick and convenient method to observe protein localization, protein-protein interactions, promoter activities, and gene functional studies in Arabidopsis seedlings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung-Yi Wu
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Erh-Min Lai
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
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6
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Czolkoss S, Safronov X, Rexroth S, Knoke LR, Aktas M, Narberhaus F. Agrobacterium tumefaciens Type IV and Type VI Secretion Systems Reside in Detergent-Resistant Membranes. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:754486. [PMID: 34899640 PMCID: PMC8656257 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.754486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell membranes are not homogenous but compartmentalized into lateral microdomains, which are considered as biochemical reaction centers for various physiological processes in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Due to their special lipid and protein composition, some of these microdomains are resistant to treatment with non-ionic detergents and can be purified as detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs). Here we report the proteome of DRMs from the Gram-negative phytopathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Using label-free liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we identified proteins enriched in DRMs isolated under normal and virulence-mimicking growth conditions. Prominent microdomain marker proteins such as the SPFH (stomatin/prohibitin/flotillin/HflKC) proteins HflK, HflC and Atu3772, along with the protease FtsH were highly enriched in DRMs isolated under any given condition. Moreover, proteins involved in cell envelope biogenesis, transport and secretion, as well as motility- and chemotaxis-associated proteins were overrepresented in DRMs. Most strikingly, we found virulence-associated proteins such as the VirA/VirG two-component system, and the membrane-spanning type IV and type VI secretion systems enriched in DRMs. Fluorescence microscopy of the cellular localization of both secretion systems and of marker proteins was in agreement with the results from the proteomics approach. These findings suggest that virulence traits are micro-compartmentalized into functional microdomains in A. tumefaciens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Czolkoss
- Department of Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Xenia Safronov
- Department of Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sascha Rexroth
- Department of Plant Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Lisa R Knoke
- Department of Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Meriyem Aktas
- Department of Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Franz Narberhaus
- Department of Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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7
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Czolkoss S, Borgert P, Poppenga T, Hölzl G, Aktas M, Narberhaus F. Synthesis of the unusual lipid bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate in environmental bacteria. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:6993-7008. [PMID: 34528360 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The bacterial membrane is constantly remodelled in response to environmental conditions and the external supply of precursor molecules. Some bacteria are able to acquire exogenous lyso-phospholipids and convert them to the corresponding phospholipids. Here, we report that some soil-dwelling bacteria have alternative options to metabolize lyso-phosphatidylglycerol (L-PG). We find that the plant-pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens takes up this mono-acylated phospholipid and converts it to two distinct isoforms of the non-canonical lipid bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate (BMP). Chromatographic separation and quadrupole-time-of-flight MS/MS analysis revealed the presence of two possible BMP stereo configurations acylated at either of the free hydroxyl groups of the glycerol head group. BMP accumulated in the inner membrane and did not visibly alter cell morphology and growth behaviour. The plant-associated bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti was also able to convert externally provided L-PG to BMP. Other bacteria like Pseudomonas fluorescens and Escherichia coli metabolized L-PG after cell disruption, suggesting that BMP production in the natural habitat relies both on dedicated uptake systems and on head-group acylation enzymes. Overall, our study adds two previously overlooked phospholipids to the repertoire of bacterial membrane lipids and provides evidence for the remarkable condition-responsive adaptation of bacterial membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Czolkoss
- Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Pia Borgert
- Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Tessa Poppenga
- Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Georg Hölzl
- Institute of Molecular Physiology and Biotechnology of Plants (IMBIO), University of Bonn, Karlrobert-Kreiten-Straße 13, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Meriyem Aktas
- Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Franz Narberhaus
- Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany
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8
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Eisfeld J, Kraus A, Ronge C, Jagst M, Brandenburg VB, Narberhaus F. A LysR-type transcriptional regulator controls the expression of numerous small RNAs in Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Mol Microbiol 2021; 116:126-139. [PMID: 33560537 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Small RNAs (sRNAs) are universal posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression and hundreds of sRNAs are frequently found in each and every bacterium. In order to coordinate cellular processes in response to ambient conditions, many sRNAs are differentially expressed. Here, we asked how these small regulators are regulated using Agrobacterium tumefaciens as a model system. Among the best-studied sRNAs in this plant pathogen are AbcR1 regulating numerous ABC transporters and PmaR, a regulator of peptidoglycan biosynthesis, motility, and ampicillin resistance. We report that the LysR-type regulator VtlR (also known as LsrB) controls expression of AbcR1 and PmaR. A vtlR/lsrB deletion strain showed growth defects, was sensitive to antibiotics and severely compromised in plant tumor formation. Transcriptome profiling by RNA-sequencing revealed more than 1,200 genes with altered expression in the mutant. Consistent with the function of VtlR/LsrB as regulator of AbcR1, many ABC transporter genes were affected. Interestingly, the transcription factor did not only control the expression of AbcR1 and PmaR. In the mutant, 102 sRNA genes were significantly up- or downregulated. Thus, our study uncovered VtlR/LsrB as the master regulator of numerous sRNAs. Thereby, the transcriptional regulator harnesses the regulatory power of sRNAs to orchestrate the expression of distinct sub-regulons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Eisfeld
- Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,Medical Microbiology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | | | | | - Michelle Jagst
- Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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9
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Blevins MS, James VK, Herrera CM, Purcell AB, Trent MS, Brodbelt JS. Unsaturation Elements and Other Modifications of Phospholipids in Bacteria: New Insight from Ultraviolet Photodissociation Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2020; 92:9146-9155. [PMID: 32479092 PMCID: PMC7384744 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c01449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Glycerophospholipids (GPLs), one of the main components of bacterial cell membranes, exhibit high levels of structural complexity that are directly correlated with biophysical membrane properties such as permeability and fluidity. This structural complexity arises from the substantial variability in the individual GPL structural components such as the acyl chain length and headgroup type and is further amplified by the presence of modifications such as double bonds and cyclopropane rings. Here we use liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution and high-mass-accuracy ultraviolet photodissociation mass spectrometry for the most in-depth study of bacterial GPL modifications to date. In doing so, we unravel a diverse array of unexplored GPL modifications, ranging from acyl chain hydroxyl groups to novel headgroup structures. Along with characterizing these modifications, we elucidate general trends in bacterial GPL unsaturation elements and thus aim to decipher some of the biochemical pathways of unsaturation incorporation in bacterial GPLs. Finally, we discover aminoacyl-PGs not only in Gram-positive bacteria but also in Gram-negative C. jejuni, advancing our knowledge of the methods of surface charge modulation that Gram-negative organisms may adopt for antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly S Blevins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Virginia K James
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Carmen M Herrera
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Alexandria B Purcell
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - M Stephen Trent
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
- Department of Microbiology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Jennifer S Brodbelt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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10
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Abstract
Bacteria are known to add amino acids (aa) to membrane lipids to resist antimicrobials and escape immune responses. This surface lipid aminoacylation process requires diverting aminoacyl-tRNAs from protein synthesis. While widespread in bacteria, no analogous lipid remodeling system had thus far been evidenced in eukaryotes. We uncovered that most fungi tRNA-dependently add aspartate onto ergosterol (ergosteryl-3β-O-l-aspartate [Erg-Asp]), the major sterol found in fungal membranes. Asp addition is catalyzed by an ergosteryl-3β-O-l-aspartate synthase (ErdS) and its removal by a dedicated hydrolase (ErdH). This pathway is conserved across “higher” fungi, including pathogens. Given the central roles of sterols and derivatives in fungi, we propose that the Erg-Asp homeostasis system might impact membrane remodeling, trafficking, antimicrobial resistance, or pathogenicity. Diverting aminoacyl-transfer RNAs (tRNAs) from protein synthesis is a well-known process used by a wide range of bacteria to aminoacylate membrane constituents. By tRNA-dependently adding amino acids to glycerolipids, bacteria change their cell surface properties, which intensifies antimicrobial drug resistance, pathogenicity, and virulence. No equivalent aminoacylated lipids have been uncovered in any eukaryotic species thus far, suggesting that tRNA-dependent lipid remodeling is a process restricted to prokaryotes. We report here the discovery of ergosteryl-3β-O-l-aspartate (Erg-Asp), a conjugated sterol that is produced by the tRNA-dependent addition of aspartate to the 3β-OH group of ergosterol, the major sterol found in fungal membranes. In fact, Erg-Asp exists in the majority of “higher” fungi, including species of biotechnological interest, and, more importantly, in human pathogens like Aspergillus fumigatus. We show that a bifunctional enzyme, ergosteryl-3β-O-l-aspartate synthase (ErdS), is responsible for Erg-Asp synthesis. ErdS corresponds to a unique fusion of an aspartyl-tRNA synthetase—that produces aspartyl-tRNAAsp (Asp-tRNAAsp)—and of a Domain of Unknown Function 2156, which actually transfers aspartate from Asp-tRNAAsp onto ergosterol. We also uncovered that removal of the Asp modifier from Erg-Asp is catalyzed by a second enzyme, ErdH, that is a genuine Erg-Asp hydrolase participating in the turnover of the conjugated sterol in vivo. Phylogenomics highlights that the entire Erg-Asp synthesis/degradation pathway is conserved across “higher” fungi. Given the central roles of sterols and conjugated sterols in fungi, we propose that this tRNA-dependent ergosterol modification and homeostasis system might have broader implications in membrane remodeling, trafficking, antimicrobial resistance, or pathogenicity.
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Knoke LR, Abad Herrera S, Götz K, Justesen BH, Günther Pomorski T, Fritz C, Schäkermann S, Bandow JE, Aktas M. Agrobacterium tumefaciens Small Lipoprotein Atu8019 Is Involved in Selective Outer Membrane Vesicle (OMV) Docking to Bacterial Cells. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1228. [PMID: 32582124 PMCID: PMC7296081 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), released from Gram-negative bacteria, have been attributed to intra- and interspecies communication and pathogenicity in diverse bacteria. OMVs carry various components including genetic material, toxins, signaling molecules, or proteins. Although the molecular mechanism(s) of cargo delivery is not fully understood, recent studies showed that transfer of the OMV content to surrounding cells is mediated by selective interactions. Here, we show that the phytopathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens, the causative agent of crown gall disease, releases OMVs, which attach to the cell surface of various Gram-negative bacteria. The OMVs contain the conserved small lipoprotein Atu8019. An atu8019-deletion mutant produced wildtype-like amounts of OMVs with a subtle but reproducible reduction in cell-attachment. Otherwise, loss of atu8019 did not alter growth, susceptibility against cations or antibiotics, attachment to plant cells, virulence, motility, or biofilm formation. In contrast, overproduction of Atu8019 in A. tumefaciens triggered cell aggregation and biofilm formation. Localization studies revealed that Atu8019 is surface exposed in Agrobacterium cells and in OMVs supporting a role in cell adhesion. Purified Atu8019 protein reconstituted into liposomes interacted with model membranes and with the surface of several Gram-negative bacteria. Collectively, our data suggest that the small lipoprotein Atu8019 is involved in OMV docking to specific bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Roxanne Knoke
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sara Abad Herrera
- Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Katrin Götz
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Bo Højen Justesen
- Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Thomas Günther Pomorski
- Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Christiane Fritz
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sina Schäkermann
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Applied Microbiology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Julia Elisabeth Bandow
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Applied Microbiology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Meriyem Aktas
- Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Microbial Biology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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12
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Thompson MG, Moore WM, Hummel NFC, Pearson AN, Barnum CR, Scheller HV, Shih PM. Agrobacterium tumefaciens: A Bacterium Primed for Synthetic Biology. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2020; 2020:8189219. [PMID: 37849895 PMCID: PMC10530663 DOI: 10.34133/2020/8189219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Agrobacterium tumefaciens is an important tool in plant biotechnology due to its natural ability to transfer DNA into the genomes of host plants. Genetic manipulations of A. tumefaciens have yielded considerable advances in increasing transformational efficiency in a number of plant species and cultivars. Moreover, there is overwhelming evidence that modulating the expression of various mediators of A. tumefaciens virulence can lead to more successful plant transformation; thus, the application of synthetic biology to enable targeted engineering of the bacterium may enable new opportunities for advancing plant biotechnology. In this review, we highlight engineering targets in both A. tumefaciens and plant hosts that could be exploited more effectively through precision genetic control to generate high-quality transformation events in a wider range of host plants. We then further discuss the current state of A. tumefaciens and plant engineering with regard to plant transformation and describe how future work may incorporate a rigorous synthetic biology approach to tailor strains of A. tumefaciens used in plant transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell G. Thompson
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - William M. Moore
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Niklas F. C. Hummel
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Allison N. Pearson
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Collin R. Barnum
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Henrik V. Scheller
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Patrick M. Shih
- Joint BioEnergy Institute, Emeryville, CA, USA
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Genome Center, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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