1
|
Xu G, Yang S. Evolution of orphan and atypical histidine kinases and response regulators for microbial signaling diversity. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 275:133635. [PMID: 38964677 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133635] [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] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Two-component signaling systems (TCS) are the predominant means of microbes for sensing and responding to environmental stimuli. Typically, TCS is comprised of a sensor histidine kinase (HK) and a cognate response regulator (RR), which might have coevolved together. They usually involve the phosphoryl transfer signaling mechanism. However, there are also some orphan and atypical HK and RR homologs, and their evolutionary origins are still not very clear. They are not associated with cognate pairs or lack the conserved residues for phosphoryl transfer, but they could receive or respond to signals from other regulators. The objective of this study is to reveal the evolutionary history of these orphan and atypical HK and RR homologs. Structural, domain, sequence, and phylogenetic analyses indicated that their evolution process might undergo gene duplication, divergence, and domain shuffling. Meanwhile, lateral gene transfer might also be involved for their gene distribution. Evolution of orphan and atypical HK and RR homologs have increased their signaling diversity, which could be helpful for microbial adaption in complex environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gangming Xu
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China.
| | - Suiqun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Moreno R, Rojo F. What are the signals that control catabolite repression in Pseudomonas? Microb Biotechnol 2024; 17:e14407. [PMID: 38227132 PMCID: PMC10832556 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14407] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolically versatile bacteria exhibit a global regulatory response known as carbon catabolite repression (CCR), which prioritizes some carbon sources over others when all are present in sufficient amounts. This optimizes growth by distributing metabolite fluxes, but can restrict yields in biotechnological applications. The molecular mechanisms and preferred substrates for CCR vary between bacterial groups. Escherichia coli prioritizes glucose whereas Pseudomonas sp. prefer certain organic acids or amino acids. A significant issue in understanding (and potentially bypassing) CCR is the lack of information about the signals that trigger this regulatory response. In E. coli, several key compounds act as flux sensors, governing the flow of metabolites through catabolic pathways and preventing imbalances. These flux sensors can also modulate the CCR response. It has been suggested that the order of substrate preference is determined by carbon uptake flux rather than substrate identity. For Pseudomonas, much less information is available, as the signals that induce CCR are poorly understood. This article briefly discusses the available evidence on the signals that trigger CCR and the questions that remain to be answered in Pseudomonas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Renata Moreno
- Department of Microbial BiotechnologyCentro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSICMadridSpain
| | - Fernando Rojo
- Department of Microbial BiotechnologyCentro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSICMadridSpain
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ramos AL, Aquino M, García G, Gaspar M, de la Cruz C, Saavedra-Flores A, Brom S, Cervantes-Rivera R, Galindo-Sánchez CE, Hernandez R, Puhar A, Lupas AN, Sepulveda E. RpuS/R Is a Novel Two-Component Signal Transduction System That Regulates the Expression of the Pyruvate Symporter MctP in Sinorhizobium fredii NGR234. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:871077. [PMID: 35572670 PMCID: PMC9100948 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.871077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The SLC5/STAC histidine kinases comprise a recently identified family of sensor proteins in two-component signal transduction systems (TCSTS), in which the signaling domain is fused to an SLC5 solute symporter domain through a STAC domain. Only two members of this family have been characterized experimentally, the CrbS/R system that regulates acetate utilization in Vibrio and Pseudomonas, and the CbrA/B system that regulates the utilization of histidine in Pseudomonas and glucose in Azotobacter. In an attempt to expand the characterized members of this family beyond the Gammaproteobacteria, we identified two putative TCSTS in the Alphaproteobacterium Sinorhizobium fredii NGR234 whose sensor histidine kinases belong to the SLC5/STAC family. Using reverse genetics, we were able to identify the first TCSTS as a CrbS/R homolog that is also needed for growth on acetate, while the second TCSTS, RpuS/R, is a novel system required for optimal growth on pyruvate. Using RNAseq and transcriptional fusions, we determined that in S. fredii the RpuS/R system upregulates the expression of an operon coding for the pyruvate symporter MctP when pyruvate is the sole carbon source. In addition, we identified a conserved DNA sequence motif in the putative promoter region of the mctP operon that is essential for the RpuR-mediated transcriptional activation of genes under pyruvate-utilizing conditions. Finally, we show that S. fredii mutants lacking these TCSTS are affected in nodulation, producing fewer nodules than the parent strain and at a slower rate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Aquino
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, Mexico
| | - Gema García
- Facultad de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Culiacan, Mexico
| | - Miriam Gaspar
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, Mexico
| | - Cristina de la Cruz
- Programa de Ingeniería Genómica, Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Anaid Saavedra-Flores
- Departamento de Biotecnología Marina, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Ensenada, Mexico
| | - Susana Brom
- Programa de Ingeniería Genómica, Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Ramón Cervantes-Rivera
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Clara Elizabeth Galindo-Sánchez
- Departamento de Biotecnología Marina, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Ensenada, Mexico
| | - Rufina Hernandez
- Departamento de Microbiología, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Ensenada, Mexico
| | - Andrea Puhar
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Andrei N. Lupas
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Edgardo Sepulveda
- CONACYT-Departamento de Microbiología, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE), Ensenada, Mexico
- *Correspondence: Edgardo Sepulveda,
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Monteagudo-Cascales E, Santero E, Canosa I. The Regulatory Hierarchy Following Signal Integration by the CbrAB Two-Component System: Diversity of Responses and Functions. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13020375. [PMID: 35205417 PMCID: PMC8871633 DOI: 10.3390/genes13020375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
CbrAB is a two-component system, unique to bacteria of the family Pseudomonaceae, capable of integrating signals and involved in a multitude of physiological processes that allow bacterial adaptation to a wide variety of varying environmental conditions. This regulatory system provides a great metabolic versatility that results in excellent adaptability and metabolic optimization. The two-component system (TCS) CbrA-CbrB is on top of a hierarchical regulatory cascade and interacts with other regulatory systems at different levels, resulting in a robust output. Among the regulatory systems found at the same or lower levels of CbrAB are the NtrBC nitrogen availability adaptation system, the Crc/Hfq carbon catabolite repression cascade in Pseudomonas, or interactions with the GacSA TCS or alternative sigma ECF factor, such as SigX. The interplay between regulatory mechanisms controls a number of physiological processes that intervene in important aspects of bacterial adaptation and survival. These include the hierarchy in the use of carbon sources, virulence or resistance to antibiotics, stress response or definition of the bacterial lifestyle. The multiple actions of the CbrAB TCS result in an important competitive advantage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Eduardo Santero
- Departamento de Biología Molecular e Ingeniería Bioquímica, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo, CSIC, Junta de Andalucía, 41013 Seville, Spain;
| | - Inés Canosa
- Departamento de Biología Molecular e Ingeniería Bioquímica, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo, CSIC, Junta de Andalucía, 41013 Seville, Spain;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-954349052
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ducret V, Perron K, Valentini M. Role of Two-Component System Networks in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pathogenesis. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1386:371-395. [PMID: 36258080 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-08491-1_14] [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: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Two-component systems (TCS) are the largest family of signaling systems in the bacterial kingdom. They enable bacteria to cope with a wide range of environmental conditions via the sensing of stimuli and the transduction of the signal into an appropriate cellular adaptation response. Pseudomonas aeruginosa possesses one of the richest arrays of TCSs in bacteria and they have been the subject of intense investigation for more than 20 years. Most of the P. aeruginosa TCSs characterized to date affect its pathogenesis, via the regulation of virulence factors expression, modulation of the synthesis of antibiotic/antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, and/or via linking virulence to energy metabolism. Here, we give an overview of the current knowledge on P. aeruginosa TCSs, citing key examples for each of the above-mentioned regulatory actions. We then conclude by mentioning few small molecule inhibitors of P. aeruginosa TCSs that have shown an antimicrobial action in vitro.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Verena Ducret
- Microbiology Unit, Department of Botany and Plant Biology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Karl Perron
- Microbiology Unit, Department of Botany and Plant Biology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Martina Valentini
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine, CMU, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wirtz L, Eder M, Brand AK, Jung H. HutT functions as the major L-histidine transporter in Pseudomonas putida KT2440. FEBS Lett 2021; 595:2113-2126. [PMID: 34245008 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Histidine is an important carbon and nitrogen source of γ-proteobacteria and can affect bacteria-host interactions. The mechanisms of histidine uptake are only partly understood. Here, we analyze functional properties of the putative histidine transporter HutT of the soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida. The hutT gene is part of the histidine utilization operon, and the gene product belongs to the amino acid-polyamine-organocation (APC) family of secondary transporters. Deletion of hutT severely impairs growth of P. putida on histidine, suggesting that the encoded transporter is the major histidine uptake system of P. putida. Transport experiments with cells and purified and reconstituted protein indicate that HutT functions as a high-affinity histidine : proton symporter with high specificity for the amino acid. Substitution analyses identified amino acids crucial for HutT function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Wirtz
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Biology 1, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Michelle Eder
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Biology 1, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Anna-Katharina Brand
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Biology 1, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Heinrich Jung
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Biology 1, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Naren N, Zhang XX. Role of a local transcription factor in governing cellular carbon/nitrogen homeostasis in Pseudomonas fluorescens. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:3204-3216. [PMID: 33675669 PMCID: PMC8034625 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoactivation of two-component systems (TCSs) can increase the sensitivity to signals but inherently cause a delayed response. Here, we describe a unique negative feedback mechanism enabling the global NtrB/NtrC regulator to rapidly respond to nitrogen starvation over the course of histidine utilization (hut) in Pseudomonas fluorescens. NtrBC directly activates transcription of hut genes, but overexpression will produce excess ammonium leading to NtrBC inactivation. To prevent this from occurring, the histidine-responsive repressor HutC fine-tunes ntrBC autoactivation: HutC and NtrC bind to the same operator site in the ntrBC promoter. This newly discovered low-affinity binding site shows little sequence similarity with the consensus sequence that HutC recognizes for substrate-specific induction of hut operons. A combination of genetic and transcriptomic analysis indicated that both ntrBC and hut promoter activities cannot be stably maintained in the ΔhutC background when histidine fluctuates at high concentrations. Moreover, the global carbon regulator CbrA/CbrB is involved in directly activating hut transcription while de-repressing hut translation via the CbrAB-CrcYZ-Crc/Hfq regulatory cascade. Together, our data reveal that the local transcription factor HutC plays a crucial role in governing NtrBC to maintain carbon/nitrogen homeostasis through the complex interactions between two TCSs (NtrBC and CbrAB) at the hut promoter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Naran Naren
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University at Albany, Auckland 0745, New Zealand
| | - Xue-Xian Zhang
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University at Albany, Auckland 0745, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Prokaryotic Solute/Sodium Symporters: Versatile Functions and Mechanisms of a Transporter Family. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041880. [PMID: 33668649 PMCID: PMC7918813 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The solute/sodium symporter family (SSS family; TC 2.A.21; SLC5) consists of integral membrane proteins that use an existing sodium gradient to drive the uphill transport of various solutes, such as sugars, amino acids, vitamins, or ions across the membrane. This large family has representatives in all three kingdoms of life. The human sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) and the sodium/glucose transporter (SGLT1) are involved in diseases such as iodide transport defect or glucose-galactose malabsorption. Moreover, the bacterial sodium/proline symporter PutP and the sodium/sialic acid symporter SiaT play important roles in bacteria–host interactions. This review focuses on the physiological significance and structural and functional features of prokaryotic members of the SSS family. Special emphasis will be given to the roles and properties of proteins containing an SSS family domain fused to domains typically found in bacterial sensor kinases.
Collapse
|
9
|
Wirtz L, Eder M, Schipper K, Rohrer S, Jung H. Transport and kinase activities of CbrA of Pseudomonas putida KT2440. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5400. [PMID: 32214184 PMCID: PMC7096432 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62337-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The CbrA/CbrB system is a two-component signal transduction system known to participate in the regulation of the cellular carbon/nitrogen balance and to play a central role in carbon catabolite repression in Pseudomonas species. CbrA is composed of a domain with similarity to proteins of the solute/sodium symporter family (SLC5) and domains typically found in bacterial sensor kinases. Here, the functional properties of the sensor kinase CbrA and its domains are analyzed at the molecular level using the system of the soil bacterium P. putida KT2440 as a model. It is demonstrated that CbrA can bind and transport L-histidine. Transport is specific for L-histidine and probably driven by an electrochemical proton gradient. The kinase domain is not required for L-histidine uptake by the SLC5 domain of CbrA, and has no significant impact on transport kinetics. Furthermore, it is shown that the histidine kinase can autophosphorylate and transfer the phosphoryl group to the response regulator CbrB. The SLC5 domain is not essential for these activities but appears to modulate the autokinase activity. A phosphatase activity of CbrA is not detected. None of the activities is significantly affected by L-histidine. The results demonstrate that CbrA functions as a L-histidine transporter and sensor kinase.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Wirtz
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Biology 1, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Michelle Eder
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Biology 1, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Kerstin Schipper
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Biology 1, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, Heinrich-Heine-University, D-40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Stefanie Rohrer
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Biology 1, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany.,Technical University of Munich, D-80333, Munich, Germany
| | - Heinrich Jung
- Division of Microbiology, Department of Biology 1, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Monteagudo-Cascales E, García-Mauriño SM, Santero E, Canosa I. Unraveling the role of the CbrA histidine kinase in the signal transduction of the CbrAB two-component system in Pseudomonas putida. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9110. [PMID: 31235731 PMCID: PMC6591292 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45554-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The histidine kinase CbrA of the CbrAB two-component system of Pseudomonas putida is a key element to recognise the activating signal and mediate auto- and trans-phosphorylation of the response element CbrB. CbrA is encoded by the gene cbrA which is located downstream of a putative open reading frame we have named cbrX. We describe the role of the CbrX product in the expression of CbrA and show there is translational coupling of the genes. We also explore the role of the transmembrane (TM) and PAS domains of CbrA in the signal recognition. A ΔcbrXA mutant lacking its TM domains is uncoupled in its growth in histidine and citrate as carbon sources, but its overexpression restores the ability to grow in such carbon sources. In these conditions ΔTM-CbrA is able to respond to carbon availability, thus suggesting an intracellular nature for the signal sensed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabet Monteagudo-Cascales
- Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Junta de Andalucía, Seville, Spain
| | - Sofía M García-Mauriño
- Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Junta de Andalucía, Seville, Spain
| | - Eduardo Santero
- Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Junta de Andalucía, Seville, Spain
| | - Inés Canosa
- Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Junta de Andalucía, Seville, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Jung K, Fabiani F, Hoyer E, Lassak J. Bacterial transmembrane signalling systems and their engineering for biosensing. Open Biol 2019; 8:rsob.180023. [PMID: 29695618 PMCID: PMC5936718 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.180023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Every living cell possesses numerous transmembrane signalling systems that receive chemical and physical stimuli from the environment and transduce this information into an intracellular signal that triggers some form of cellular response. As unicellular organisms, bacteria require these systems for survival in rapidly changing environments. The receptors themselves act as ‘sensory organs’, while subsequent signalling circuits can be regarded as forming a ‘neural network’ that is involved in decision making, adaptation and ultimately in ensuring survival. Bacteria serve as useful biosensors in industry and clinical diagnostics, in addition to producing drugs for therapeutic purposes. Therefore, there is a great demand for engineered bacterial strains that contain transmembrane signalling systems with high molecular specificity, sensitivity and dose dependency. In this review, we address the complexity of transmembrane signalling systems and discuss principles to rewire receptors and their signalling outputs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Jung
- Munich Center for Integrated Protein Science (CiPSM) at the Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Florian Fabiani
- Munich Center for Integrated Protein Science (CiPSM) at the Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Hoyer
- Munich Center for Integrated Protein Science (CiPSM) at the Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Jürgen Lassak
- Munich Center for Integrated Protein Science (CiPSM) at the Department of Biology I, Microbiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Martinsried, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Modulation of CrbS-Dependent Activation of the Acetate Switch in Vibrio cholerae. J Bacteriol 2018; 200:JB.00380-18. [PMID: 30224439 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00380-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Vibrio cholerae controls the pathogenicity of interactions with arthropod hosts via the activity of the CrbS/R two-component system. This signaling pathway regulates the consumption of acetate, which in turn alters the relative virulence of interactions with arthropods, including Drosophila melanogaster CrbS is a histidine kinase that links a transporter-like domain to its signaling apparatus via putative STAC and PAS domains. CrbS and its cognate response regulator are required for the expression of acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) synthetase (product of acs), which converts acetate to acetyl-CoA. We demonstrate that the STAC domain of CrbS is required for signaling in culture; without it, acs transcription is reduced in LB medium, and V. cholerae cannot grow on acetate minimal media. However, the strain remains virulent toward Drosophila and expresses acs similarly to the wild type during infection. This suggests that there is a unique signal or environmental variable that modulates CrbS in the gastrointestinal tract of Drosophila Second, we present evidence in support of CrbR, the response regulator that interacts with CrbS, binding directly to the acs promoter, and we identify a region of the promoter that CrbR may target. We further demonstrate that nutrient signals, together with the cAMP receptor protein (CRP)-cAMP system, control acs transcription, but regulation may occur indirectly, as CRP-cAMP activates the expression of the crbS and crbR genes. Finally, we define the role of the Pta-AckA system in V. cholerae and identify redundancy built into acetate excretion pathways in this pathogen.IMPORTANCE CrbS is a member of a unique family of sensor histidine kinases, as its structure suggests that it may link signaling to the transport of a molecule. However, mechanisms through which CrbS senses and communicates information about the outside world are unknown. In the Vibrionaceae, orthologs of CrbS regulate acetate metabolism, which can, in turn, affect interactions with host organisms. Here, we situate CrbS within a larger regulatory framework, demonstrating that crbS is regulated by nutrient-sensing systems. Furthermore, CrbS domains may play various roles in signaling during infection and growth in culture, suggesting a unique mechanism of host recognition. Finally, we define the roles of additional pathways in acetate flux, as a foundation for further studies of this metabolic nexus point.
Collapse
|
13
|
Straub C, Colombi E, Li L, Huang H, Templeton MD, McCann HC, Rainey PB. The ecological genetics ofPseudomonas syringaefrom kiwifruit leaves. Environ Microbiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.14092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christina Straub
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey UniversityAuckland New Zealand
| | - Elena Colombi
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey UniversityAuckland New Zealand
| | - Li Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty AgricultureWuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesWuhan People's Republic of China
| | - Hongwen Huang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty AgricultureWuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesWuhan People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable UtilizationSouth China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of SciencesGuangzhou People's Republic of China
| | | | - Honour C. McCann
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey UniversityAuckland New Zealand
| | - Paul B. Rainey
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey UniversityAuckland New Zealand
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Department of Microbial Population BiologyPlön Germany
- École Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles de la Ville de Paris (ESPCI Paris Tech), Laboratoire de Génétique de l'EvolutionParis France
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Sepulveda E, Lupas AN. Characterization of the CrbS/R Two-Component System in Pseudomonas fluorescens Reveals a New Set of Genes under Its Control and a DNA Motif Required for CrbR-Mediated Transcriptional Activation. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:2287. [PMID: 29250042 PMCID: PMC5715377 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The CrbS/R system is a two-component signal transduction system that regulates acetate utilization in Vibrio cholerae, P. aeruginosa, and P. entomophila. CrbS is a hybrid histidine kinase that belongs to a recently identified family, in which the signaling domain is fused to an SLC5 solute symporter domain through aSTAC domain. Upon activation by CrbS, CrbR activates transcription of the acs gene, which encodes an acetyl-CoA synthase (ACS), and the actP gene, which encodes an acetate/solute symporter. In this work, we characterized the CrbS/R system in Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25. Through the quantitative proteome analysis of different mutants, we were able to identify a new set of genes under its control, which play an important role during growth on acetate. These results led us to the identification of a conserved DNA motif in the putative promoter region of acetate-utilization genes in the Gammaproteobacteria that is essential for the CrbR-mediated transcriptional activation of genes under acetate-utilizing conditions. Finally, we took advantage of the existence of a second SLC5-containing two-component signal transduction system in P. fluorescens, CbrA/B, to demonstrate that the activation of the response regulator by the histidine kinase is not dependent on substrate transport through the SLC5 domain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edgardo Sepulveda
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andrei N Lupas
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Boyle KE, Monaco HT, Deforet M, Yan J, Wang Z, Rhee K, Xavier JB. Metabolism and the Evolution of Social Behavior. Mol Biol Evol 2017; 34:2367-2379. [PMID: 28595344 PMCID: PMC5850603 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
How does metabolism influence social behavior? This fundamental question at the interface of molecular biology and social evolution is hard to address with experiments in animals, and therefore, we turned to a simple microbial system: swarming in the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using genetic engineering, we excised a locus encoding a key metabolic regulator and disrupted P. aeruginosa's metabolic prudence, the regulatory mechanism that controls expression of swarming public goods and protects this social behavior from exploitation by cheaters. Then, using experimental evolution, we followed the joint evolution of the genome, the metabolome and the social behavior as swarming re-evolved. New variants emerged spontaneously with mutations that reorganized the metabolome and compensated in distinct ways for the disrupted metabolic prudence. These experiments with a unicellular organism provide a detailed view of how metabolism-currency of all physiological processes-can determine the costs and benefits of a social behavior and ultimately influence how an organism behaves towards other organisms of the same species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kerry E Boyle
- Program in Computational and Systems Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.,Program in Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY
| | - Hilary T Monaco
- Program in Computational and Systems Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.,Tri-Institutional Training Program in Computational Biology and Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Maxime Deforet
- Program in Computational and Systems Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Jinyuan Yan
- Program in Computational and Systems Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | - Kyu Rhee
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | - Joao B Xavier
- Program in Computational and Systems Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Liu Y, Gokhale CS, Rainey PB, Zhang XX. Unravelling the complexity and redundancy of carbon catabolic repression in Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25. Mol Microbiol 2017; 105:589-605. [PMID: 28557013 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The two-component system CbrAB is the principal regulator for cellular metabolic balance in Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 and is necessary for growth on many substrates including xylose. To understand the regulatory linkage between CbrAB and genes for xylose utilization (xut), we performed transposon mutagenesis of ΔcbrB to select for Xut+ suppressors. This led to identification of crc and hfq. Subsequent genetic and biochemical analysis showed that Crc and Hfq are key mediators of succinate-provoked carbon catabolite repression (CCR). Specifically, Crc/Hfq sequentially bind to mRNAs of both the transcriptional activator and structural genes involved in xylose catabolism. However, in the absence of succinate, repression is relieved through competitive binding by two ncRNAs, CrcY and CrcZ, whose expression is activated by CbrAB. These findings provoke a model for CCR in which it is assumed that crc and hfq are functionally complementary, whereas crcY and crcZ are genetically redundant. Inactivation of either crcY or crcZ produced no effects on bacterial fitness in laboratory media, however, results of mathematical modelling predict that the co-existence of crcY and crcZ requires separate functional identity. Finally, we provide empirical evidence that CCR is advantageous in nutrient-complex environments where preferred carbon sources are present at high concentrations but fluctuate in their availability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunhao Liu
- Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University at Albany, Auckland, 0745, New Zealand.,New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University at Albany, Auckland, 0745, New Zealand
| | - Chaitanya S Gokhale
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University at Albany, Auckland, 0745, New Zealand.,Department of Evolutionary Theory, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön 24306, Germany
| | - Paul B Rainey
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University at Albany, Auckland, 0745, New Zealand.,Department of Microbial Population Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, 24306, Germany.,Ecole Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles de la Ville de Paris (ESPCI ParisTech), CNRS UMR 8231, PSL Research University, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
| | - Xue-Xian Zhang
- Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University at Albany, Auckland, 0745, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Regulation of acetyl-CoA synthetase transcription by the CrbS/R two-component system is conserved in genetically diverse environmental pathogens. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177825. [PMID: 28542616 PMCID: PMC5436829 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The CrbS/R two-component signal transduction system is a conserved regulatory mechanism through which specific Gram-negative bacteria control acetate flux into primary metabolic pathways. CrbS/R governs expression of acetyl-CoA synthase (acsA), an enzyme that converts acetate to acetyl-CoA, a metabolite at the nexus of the cell’s most important energy-harvesting and biosynthetic reactions. During infection, bacteria can utilize this system to hijack host acetate metabolism and alter the course of colonization and pathogenesis. In toxigenic strains of Vibrio cholerae, CrbS/R-dependent expression of acsA is required for virulence in an arthropod model. Here, we investigate the function of the CrbS/R system in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas entomophila, and non-toxigenic V. cholerae strains. We demonstrate that its role in acetate metabolism is conserved; this system regulates expression of the acsA gene and is required for growth on acetate as a sole carbon source. As a first step towards describing the mechanism of signaling through this pathway, we identify residues and domains that may be critical for phosphotransfer. We further demonstrate that although CrbS, the putative hybrid sensor kinase, carries both a histidine kinase domain and a receiver domain, the latter is not required for acsA transcription. In order to determine whether our findings are relevant to pathogenesis, we tested our strains in a Drosophila model of oral infection previously employed for the study of acetate-dependent virulence by V. cholerae. We show that non-toxigenic V. cholerae strains lacking CrbS or CrbR are significantly less virulent than are wild-type strains, while P. aeruginosa and P. entomophila lacking CrbS or CrbR are fully pathogenic. Together, the data suggest that the CrbS/R system plays a central role in acetate metabolism in V. cholerae, P. aeruginosa, and P. entomophila. However, each microbe’s unique environmental adaptations and pathogenesis strategies may dictate conditions under which CrbS/R-mediated acs expression is most critical.
Collapse
|
18
|
Colombi E, Straub C, Künzel S, Templeton MD, McCann HC, Rainey PB. Evolution of copper resistance in the kiwifruit pathogenPseudomonas syringaepv.actinidiaethrough acquisition of integrative conjugative elements and plasmids. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:819-832. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Colombi
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University; Auckland New Zealand
| | - Christina Straub
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University; Auckland New Zealand
| | - Sven Künzel
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology; Plön Germany
| | - Matthew D. Templeton
- Plant and Food Research; Auckland New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Auckland; Auckland New Zealand
| | - Honour C. McCann
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University; Auckland New Zealand
- South China Botanical Institute; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Guangzhou China
| | - Paul B. Rainey
- New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University; Auckland New Zealand
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology; Plön Germany
- Ecole Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles de la Ville de Paris (ESPCI Paris-Tech), PSL Research University; Paris France
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Korycinski M, Albrecht R, Ursinus A, Hartmann MD, Coles M, Martin J, Dunin-Horkawicz S, Lupas AN. STAC--A New Domain Associated with Transmembrane Solute Transport and Two-Component Signal Transduction Systems. J Mol Biol 2015; 427:3327-3339. [PMID: 26321252 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2015.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2015] [Revised: 08/07/2015] [Accepted: 08/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Transmembrane receptors are integral components of sensory pathways in prokaryotes. These receptors share a common dimeric architecture, consisting in its basic form of an N-terminal extracellular sensor, transmembrane helices, and an intracellular effector. As an exception, we have identified an archaeal receptor family--exemplified by Af1503 from Archaeoglobus fulgidus--that is C-terminally shortened, lacking a recognizable effector module. Instead, a HAMP domain forms the sole extension for signal transduction in the cytosol. Here, we examine the gene environment of Af1503-like receptors and find a frequent association with transmembrane transport proteins. Furthermore, we identify and define a closely associated new protein domain family, which we characterize structurally using Af1502 from A. fulgidus. Members of this family are found both as stand-alone proteins and as domains within extant receptors. In general, the latter appear as connectors between the solute carrier 5 (SLC5)-like transmembrane domains and two-component signal transduction (TCST) domains. This is seen, for example, in the histidine kinase CbrA, which is a global regulator of metabolism, virulence, and antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonads. We propose that this newly identified domain family mediates signal transduction in systems regulating transport processes and name it STAC, for SLC and TCST-Associated Component.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Korycinski
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Reinhard Albrecht
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Astrid Ursinus
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marcus D Hartmann
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Murray Coles
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Martin
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stanislaw Dunin-Horkawicz
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andrei N Lupas
- Department of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Liu Y, Rainey PB, Zhang XX. Molecular mechanisms of xylose utilization by Pseudomonas fluorescens: overlapping genetic responses to xylose, xylulose, ribose and mannitol. Mol Microbiol 2015; 98:553-70. [PMID: 26194109 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial degradation of xylose is sequentially mediated by two enzymes - an isomerase (XutA) and a xylulokinase (XutB) - with xylulose as an intermediate. Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25, though capable of growth on xylose as a sole carbon source, encodes only one degradative enzyme XutA at the xylose utilization (xut) locus. Here, using site-directed mutagenesis and transcriptional assays, we have identified two functional xylulokinase-encoding genes (xutB1 and xutB2) and further show that expression of xutB1 is specifically induced by xylose. Surprisingly, xylose-induced xutB1 expression is mediated by the mannitol-responsive regulator MtlR, using xylulose rather than xylose as the direct inducer. In contrast, expression of the xutA operon is regulated by XutR - a transcriptional activator of the AraC family - in a xylose-, xylulose- and ribose-dependent manner. Detailed genetic and biochemical analyses of XutR, including DNase I footprinting assays, suggest an unconventional model of XutR regulation that does not involve DNA-looping, a mechanism typically found for AraC-type regulators from enteric bacteria. XutR functions as a dimer and recognizes two inverted repeat sequences, but binding to one half site is weak thus requiring an inducer molecule such as xylose for activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunhao Liu
- Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, 0745, New Zealand.,NZ Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University, Auckland, 0745, New Zealand
| | - Paul B Rainey
- NZ Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University, Auckland, 0745, New Zealand.,Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, 24306, Germany
| | - Xue-Xian Zhang
- Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, 0745, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|