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Zhou Y, Chang J, Zhang M, Li X, Yang W, Hu L, Zhou D, Ni B, Lu R, Zhang Y. VPA0198, a GGDEF domain-containing protein, affects the motility and biofilm formation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and is regulated by quorum sensing associated regulators. Microb Pathog 2024; 195:106882. [PMID: 39197692 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2024.106882] [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: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 08/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024]
Abstract
Cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP), a ubiquitous secondary messenger in bacteria, affects multiple bacterial behaviors including motility and biofilm formation. c-di-GMP is synthesized by diguanylate cyclase harboring a GGDEF domain and degraded by phosphodiesterase harboring an either EAL or HD-GYP domain. Vibrio parahaemolyticus, the leading cause of seafood-associated gastroenteritis, harbors more than 60 genes involved in c-di-GMP metabolism. However, roles of most of these genes including vpa0198, which encodes a GGDEF-domain containing protein, are still completely unknown. AphA and OpaR are the master quorum sensing (QS) regulators operating at low (LCD) and high cell density (HCD), respectively. QsvR integrates into QS to control gene expression via direct regulation of AphA and OpaR. In this study, we showed that deletion of vpa0198 remarkably reduced c-di-GMP production and biofilm formation, whereas promoted the swimming motility of V. parahaemolyticus. Overexpression of VPA0198 in the vpa0198 mutant strain significantly reduced the swimming and swarming motility and enhanced the biofilm formation ability of V. parahaemolyticus. In addition, transcription of vpa0198 was under the collective regulation of AphA, OpaR and QsvR. AphA activated the transcription of vpa0198 at LCD, whereas QsvR and OpaR coordinately and directly repressed vpa0198 transcription at HCD, thereby leading to a cell density-dependent expression of vpa0198. Therefore, this work expanded the knowledge of synthetic regulatory mechanism of c-di-GMP in V. parahaemolyticus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yining Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jingyang Chang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenhui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Lingfei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Dongsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Bin Ni
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Renfei Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Yiquan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China.
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Zhou Y, Chang J, Zhang M, Li X, Luo X, Li W, Tian Z, Zhang N, Ni B, Zhang Y, Lu R. GefB, a GGDEF domain-containing protein, affects motility and biofilm formation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and is regulated by quorum sensing regulators. Gene 2024; 933:148968. [PMID: 39332602 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2024] [Revised: 09/14/2024] [Accepted: 09/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/29/2024]
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) stands as the predominant etiological agent responsible for gastroenteritis associated with the consumption of seafood. Cyclic di-guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP), a secondary messenger in bacteria, controls multiple bacterial behaviors including pathogenesis, the development of biofilms, and motility. The protein GefB (VPA1478), characterized by the presence of a GGDEF domain, inhibits the swarming motility of V. parahaemolyticus. In this study, we showed that deletion of gefB remarkably reduced cellular c-di-GMP level and biofilm formation by V. parahaemolyticus, but significantly enhanced the swimming and swarming motility. In addition, GefB inhibited the polar and lateral flagellar genes but activated genes associated with exopolysaccharide production of V. parahaemolyticus. The data also demonstrated that vpa1477 and gefB are co-transcribed as a single transcriptional unit, designated as vpa1477-gefB. Transcription of vpa1477-gefB was under the collective regulation of the master quorum sensing (QS) regulators AphA and OpaR, which function at low (LCD) and high cell density (HCD), respectively. AphA positively regulated vpa1477-gefB transcription at LCD, whereas OpaR negatively regulated its transcription at HCD. The findings significantly enhance our comprehension of the metabolism and regulatory mechanisms of c-di-GMP in V. parahaemolyticus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yining Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jingyang Chang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xi Luo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wanpeng Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China; Health Commission of Qinghai Province, Xining 810008, Qinghai, China
| | - Zhukang Tian
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China; Health Commission of Qinghai Province, Xining 810008, Qinghai, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China; Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bin Ni
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Yiquan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Renfei Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong 226006, Jiangsu, China.
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Santoriello FJ, Bassler BL. The LuxO-OpaR quorum-sensing cascade differentially controls Vibriophage VP882 lysis-lysogeny decision making in liquid and on surfaces. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011243. [PMID: 39078816 PMCID: PMC11315295 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011243] [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: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Quorum sensing (QS) is a process of cell-to-cell communication that bacteria use to synchronize collective behaviors. QS relies on the production, release, and group-wide detection of extracellular signaling molecules called autoinducers. Vibrios use two QS systems: the LuxO-OpaR circuit and the VqmA-VqmR circuit. Both QS circuits control group behaviors including biofilm formation and surface motility. The Vibrio parahaemolyticus temperate phage φVP882 encodes a VqmA homolog (called VqmAφ). When VqmAφ is produced by φVP882 lysogens, it binds to the host-produced autoinducer called DPO and launches the φVP882 lytic cascade. This activity times induction of lysis with high host cell density and presumably promotes maximal phage transmission to new cells. Here, we explore whether, in addition to induction from lysogeny, QS controls the initial establishment of lysogeny by φVP882 in naïve host cells. Using mutagenesis, phage infection assays, and phenotypic analyses, we show that φVP882 connects its initial lysis-lysogeny decision to both host cell density and whether the host resides in liquid or on a surface. Host cells in the low-cell-density QS state primarily undergo lysogenic conversion. The QS regulator LuxO~P promotes φVP882 lysogenic conversion of low-cell-density planktonic host cells. By contrast, the ScrABC surface-sensing system regulates lysogenic conversion of low-cell-density surface-associated host cells. ScrABC controls the abundance of the second messenger molecule cyclic diguanylate, which in turn, modulates motility. The scrABC operon is only expressed when its QS repressor, OpaR, is absent. Thus, at low cell density, QS-dependent derepression of scrABC drives lysogenic conversion in surface-associated host cells. These results demonstrate that φVP882 integrates cues from multiple sensory pathways into its lifestyle decision making upon infection of a new host cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis J. Santoriello
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Bonnie L. Bassler
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, United States of America
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Huang Q, Zhang M, Zhang Y, Li X, Luo X, Ji S, Lu R. IcmF2 of the type VI secretion system 2 plays a role in biofilm formation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Arch Microbiol 2024; 206:321. [PMID: 38907796 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-024-04060-x] [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: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus possesses two distinct type VI secretion systems (T6SS), namely T6SS1 and T6SS2. T6SS1 is predominantly responsible for adhesion to Caco-2 and HeLa cells and for the antibacterial activity of V. parahaemolyticus, while T6SS2 mainly contributes to HeLa cell adhesion. However, it remains unclear whether the T6SS systems have other physiological roles in V. parahaemolyticus. In this study, we demonstrated that the deletion of icmF2, a structural gene of T6SS2, reduced the biofilm formation capacity of V. parahaemolyticus under low salt conditions, which was also influenced by the incubation time. Nonetheless, the deletion of icmF2 did not affect the biofilm formation capacity in marine-like growth conditions, nor did it impact the flagella-driven swimming and swarming motility of V. parahaemolyticus. IcmF2 was found to promote the production of the main components of the biofilm matrix, including extracellular DNA (eDNA) and extracellular proteins, and cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) in V. parahaemolyticus. Additionally, IcmF2 positively influenced the transcription of cpsA, mfpA, and several genes involved in c-di-GMP metabolism, including scrJ, scrL, vopY, tpdA, gefA, and scrG. Conversely, the transcription of scrA was negatively impacted by IcmF2. Therefore, IcmF2-dependent biofilm formation was mediated through its effects on the production of eDNA, extracellular proteins, and c-di-GMP, as well as its impact on the transcription of cpsA, mfpA, and genes associated with c-di-GMP metabolism. This study confirmed new physiological roles for IcmF2 in promoting biofilm formation and c-di-GMP production in V. parahaemolyticus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinglian Huang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Qidong People's Hospital, Qidong, Jiangsu, 226200, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226006, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226006, China
| | - Yiquan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226006, China.
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226006, China
| | - Xi Luo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226006, China
| | - Shenjie Ji
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Qidong People's Hospital, Qidong, Jiangsu, 226200, China.
| | - Renfei Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226006, China.
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Li X, Zhang X, Zhang M, Luo X, Zhang T, Liu X, Lu R, Zhang Y. Environmental magnesium ion affects global gene expression, motility, biofilm formation and virulence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Biofilm 2024; 7:100194. [PMID: 38577556 PMCID: PMC10990858 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2024.100194] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is widely distributed in marine ecosystems. Magnesium ion (Mg2+) is the second most abundant metal cation in seawater, and plays important roles in the growth and gene expression of V. parahaemolyticus, but lacks the detailed mechanisms. In this study, the RNA sequencing data demonstrated that a total of 1494 genes was significantly regulated by Mg2+. The majority of the genes associated with lateral flagella, exopolysaccharide, type III secretion system 2, type VI secretion system (T6SS) 1, T6SS2, and thermostable direct hemolysin were downregulated. A total of 18 genes that may be involved in c-di-GMP metabolism and more than 80 genes encoding putative regulators were also significantly and differentially expressed in response to Mg2+, indicating that the adaptation process to Mg2+ stress may be strictly regulated by complex regulatory networks. In addition, Mg2+ promoted the proliferative speed, swimming motility and cell adhesion of V. parahaemolyticus, but inhibited the swarming motility, biofilm formation, and c-di-GMP production. However, Mg2+ had no effect on the production of capsular polysaccharide and cytoxicity against HeLa cells. Therefore, Mg2+ had a comprehensive impact on the physiology and gene expression of V. parahaemolyticus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaobai Zhang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xi Luo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xianjin Liu
- Department of Infection, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Renfei Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yiquan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
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Li X, Chang J, Zhang M, Zhou Y, Zhang T, Zhang Y, Lu R. The effect of environmental calcium on gene expression, biofilm formation and virulence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1340429. [PMID: 38881663 PMCID: PMC11176486 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1340429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Calcium (Ca2+) can regulate the swarming motility and virulence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus BB22. However, the effects of Ca2+ on the physiology of V. parahaemolyticus RIMD2210633, whose genomic composition is quite different with that of BB22, have not been investigated. In this study, the results of phenotypic assays showed that the biofilm formation, c-di-GMP production, swimming motility, zebrafish survival rate, cytoxicity against HeLa cells, and adherence activity to HeLa cells of V. parahaemolyticus RIMD2210633 were significantly enhanced by Ca2+. However, Ca2+ had no effect on the growth, swarming motility, capsular polysaccharide (CPS) phase variation and hemolytic activity. The RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) assay disclosed 459 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in response to Ca2+, including biofilm formation-associated genes and those encode virulence factors and putative regulators. DEGs involved in polar flagellum and T3SS1 were upregulated, whereas majority of those involved in regulatory functions and c-di-GMP metabolism were downregulated. The work helps us understand how Ca2+ affects the behavior and gene expression of V. parahaemolyticus RIMD2210633.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, China
| | - Jingyang Chang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, China
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, China
| | - Yining Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, China
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, China
| | - Yiquan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, China
| | - Renfei Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, China
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Zhang Y, Zhang T, Qiu Y, Zhang M, Lu X, Yang W, Hu L, Zhou D, Gao B, Lu R. Transcriptomic Profiles of Vibrio parahaemolyticus During Biofilm Formation. Curr Microbiol 2023; 80:371. [PMID: 37838636 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03425-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus, the leading cause of bacterial seafood-associated gastroenteritis, can form biofilms. In this work, the gene expression profiles of V. parahaemolyticus during biofilm formation were investigated by transcriptome sequencing. A total of 183, 503, and 729 genes were significantly differentially expressed in the bacterial cells at 12, 24 and 48 h, respectively, compared with that at 6 h. Of these, 92 genes were consistently activated or repressed from 6 to 48 h. The genes involved in polar flagellum, chemotaxis, mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin type IV pili, capsular polysaccharide, type III secretion system 1 (T3SS1), T3SS2, thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH), type VI secretion system 1 (T6SS1) and T6SS2 were downregulated, whereas those involved in V. parahaemolyticus pathogenicity island (Vp-PAI) (except for T3SS2 and TDH) and membrane fusion proteins were upregulated. Three extracellular protease genes (vppC, prtA and VPA1071) and a dozen of outer membrane protein encoding genes were also significantly differentially expressed during biofilm formation. In addition, five putative c-di-GMP metabolism-associated genes were significantly differentially expressed, which may account for the drop in c-di-GMP levels after the beginning of biofilm formation. Moreover, many putative regulatory genes were significantly differentially expressed, and more than 1000 putative small non-coding RNAs were detected, suggesting that biofilm formation was tightly regulated by complex regulatory networks. The data provided a global view of gene expression profiles during biofilm formation, showing that the significantly differentially expressed genes were involved in multiple cellular pathways, including virulence, biofilm formation, metabolism, and regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiquan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yue Qiu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Changzhou No.2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, 213000, Jiangsu, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiuhui Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Wenhui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Lingfei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Dongsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Bo Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Renfei Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China.
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China.
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Zhang M, Luo X, Li X, Zhang T, Wu F, Li M, Lu R, Zhang Y. L-arabinose affects the growth, biofilm formation, motility, c-di-GMP metabolism, and global gene expression of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. J Bacteriol 2023; 205:e0010023. [PMID: 37655915 PMCID: PMC10521368 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00100-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The L-arabinose inducible pBAD vectors are commonly used to turn on and off the expression of specific genes in bacteria. The utilization of certain carbohydrates can influence bacterial growth, virulence factor production, and biofilm formation. Vibrio parahaemolyticus, the causative agent of seafood-associated gastroenteritis, can grow in media with L-arabinose as the sole carbon source. However, the effects of L-arabinose on V. parahaemolyticus physiology have not been investigated. In this study, we show that the growth rate, biofilm formation capacity, capsular polysaccharide production, motility, and c-di-GMP production of V. parahaemolyticus are negatively affected by L-arabinose. RNA-seq data revealed significant changes in the expression levels of 752 genes, accounting for approximately 15.6% of V. parahaemolyticus genes in the presence of L-arabinose. The affected genes included those associated with L-arabinose utilization, major virulence genes, known key biofilm-related genes, and numerous regulatory genes. In the majority of type III secretion system, two genes were upregulated in the presence of L-arabinose, whereas in those of type VI secretion system, two genes were downregulated. Ten putative c-di-GMP metabolism-associated genes were also significantly differentially expressed, which may account for the reduced c-di-GMP levels in the presence of L-arabinose. Most importantly, almost 40 putative regulators were significantly differentially expressed due to the induction by L-arabinose, indicating that the utilization of L-arabinose is strictly regulated by regulatory networks in V. parahaemolyticus. The findings increase the understanding of how L-arabinose affects the physiology of V. parahaemolyticus. Researchers should use caution when considering the use of L-arabinose inducible pBAD vectors in V. parahaemolyticus. IMPORTANCE The data in this study show that L-arabinose negatively affects the growth rate, biofilm formation, capsular polysaccharide production, motility, and c-di-GMP production of V. parahaemolyticus. The data also clarify the gene expression profiles of the bacterium in the presence of L-arabinose. Significantly differentially expressed genes in response to L-arabinose were involved in multiple cellular pathways, including L-arabinose utilization, virulence factor production, biofilm formation, motility, adaptation, and regulation. The collective findings indicate the significant impact of L-arabinose on the physiology of V. parahaemolyticus. There may be similar effects on other species of bacteria. Necessary controls should be established when pBAD vectors must be used for ectopic gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xi Luo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
- School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fei Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Min Li
- Department of Gastroenterology and Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Renfei Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yiquan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
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Zhang M, Cai L, Luo X, Li X, Zhang T, Wu F, Zhang Y, Lu R. Effect of sublethal dose of chloramphenicol on biofilm formation and virulence in Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1275441. [PMID: 37822746 PMCID: PMC10562556 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1275441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates are generally very sensitive to chloramphenicol. However, it is usually necessary to transfer a plasmid carrying a chloramphenicol resistance gene into V. parahaemolyticus to investigate the function of a specific gene, and the effects of chloramphenicol on bacterial physiology have not been investigated. In this work, the effects of sublethal dose of chloramphenicol on V. parahaemolyticus were investigated by combined utilization of various phenotypic assays and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). The results showed that the growth rate, biofilm formation capcity, c-di-GMP synthesis, motility, cytoxicity and adherence activity of V. parahaemolyticus were remarkably downregulated by the sublethal dose of chloramphenicol. The RNA-seq data revealed that the expression levels of 650 genes were significantly differentially expressed in the response to chloramphenicol stress, including antibiotic resistance genes, major virulence genes, biofilm-associated genes and putative regulatory genes. Majority of genes involved in the synthesis of polar flagellum, exopolysaccharide (EPS), mannose-sensitive haemagglutinin type IV pilus (MSHA), type III secretion systems (T3SS1 and T3SS2) and type VI secretion system 2 (T6SS2) were downregulated by the sublethal dose of chloramphenicol. Five putative c-di-GMP metabolism genes were significantly differentially expressed, which may be the reason for the decrease in intracellular c-di-GMP levels in the response of chloramphenicol stress. In addition, 23 genes encoding putative regulators were also significantly differentially expressed, suggesting that these regulators may be involved in the resistance of V. parahaemolyticus to chloramphenicol stress. This work helps us to understand how chloramphenicol effect on the physiology of V. parahaemolyticus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Liyan Cai
- Physical Examination Center, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xi Luo
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, China
- School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Fei Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Yiquan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Renfei Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third People's Hospital, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, China
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10
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Zhang M, Xue X, Li X, Wu Q, Zhang T, Yang W, Hu L, Zhou D, Lu R, Zhang Y. QsvR and OpaR coordinately repress biofilm formation by Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1079653. [PMID: 36846774 PMCID: PMC9948739 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1079653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Mature biofilm formation by Vibrio parahaemolyticus requires exopolysaccharide (EPS), type IV pili, and capsular polysaccharide (CPS). Production of each is strictly regulated by various control pathways including quorum sensing (QS) and bis-(3'-5')-cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP). QsvR, an AraC-type regulator, integrates into the QS regulatory cascade via direct control of the transcription of the master QS regulators, AphA and OpaR. Deletion of qsvR in wild-type or opaR mutant backgrounds altered the biofilm formation by V. parahaemolyticus, suggesting that QsvR may coordinate with OpaR to control biofilm formation. Herein, we demonstrated both QsvR and OpaR repressed biofilm-associated phenotypes, c-di-GMP metabolism, and the formation of V. parahaemolyticus translucent (TR) colonies. QsvR restored the biofilm-associated phenotypic changes caused by opaR mutation, and vice versa. In addition, QsvR and OpaR worked coordinately to regulate the transcription of EPS-associated genes, type IV pili genes, CPS genes and c-di-GMP metabolism-related genes. These results demonstrated how QsvR works with the QS system to regulate biofilm formation by precisely controlling the transcription of multiple biofilm formation-associated genes in V. parahaemolyticus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China,School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xingfan Xue
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China,School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qimin Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenhui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Lingfei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Dongsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China,Dongsheng Zhou, ✉
| | - Renfei Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China,Renfei Lu, ✉
| | - Yiquan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, China,*Correspondence: Yiquan Zhang, ✉
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11
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Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a causative agent of seafood-associated gastroenteritis, undergoes opaque-translucent (OP-TR) colony switching associated with capsular polysaccharide (CPS) production. Here, we showed that V. parahaemolyticus was also able to naturally and reversibly switch between wrinkly and smooth phenotypes. More than 1,000 genes were significantly differentially expressed during colony morphology switching, including the major virulence gene loci and key biofilm-related genes. The genes responsible for type III secretion system 1 (T3SS1), type VI secretion systems (T6SS1 and T6SS2), and flagellar synthesis were downregulated in the wrinkly spreader phenotype, whereas genes located on the pathogenicity island Vp-PAI and those responsible for chitin-regulated pili (ChiRP) and Syp exopolysaccharide synthesis were upregulated. In addition, we showed that the wrinkly spreader grew faster, had greater motility and biofilm capacities, and produced more c-di-GMP than the smooth type. A dozen genes potentially associated with c-di-GMP metabolism were shown to be significantly differentially expressed, which may account for the differences in c-di-GMP levels between the two phenotypes. Most importantly, dozens of putative regulators were significantly differentially expressed, and hundreds of noncoding RNAs were detected during colony morphology switching, indicating that phenotype switching is strictly regulated by a complex molecular regulatory network in V. parahaemolyticus. Taken together, the presented work highlighted the gene expression profiles related to wrinkly-smooth switching, showing that the significantly differentially expressed genes were involved in various biological behaviors, including virulence factor production, biofilm formation, metabolism, adaptation, and colonization. IMPORTANCE We showed that Vibrio parahaemolyticus was able to naturally and reversibly switch between wrinkly and smooth phenotypes and disclosed the gene expression profiles related to wrinkly-smooth switching, showing that the significantly differentially expressed genes between the two colony morphology phenotypes were involved in various biological behaviors, including virulence factor production, biofilm formation, metabolism, adaptation, and colonization.
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12
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Dong X, Tu C, Liu Y, Zhang R, Liu Y. Identification of the core c-di-GMP turnover proteins responsible for root colonization of Bacillus velezensis. iScience 2022; 25:105294. [PMID: 36300004 PMCID: PMC9589206 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Root colonization by beneficial rhizobacteria determines their plant beneficial effects. The messenger c-di-GMP is involved in the bacterial transition process between motility and biofilm, which are crucial to the colonization ability of the rhizobacteria. In this study, we identified three GGDEF domain-containing proteins (YdaK, YhcK, and YtrP) and two EAL domain-containing proteins (YuxH and YkuI) in beneficial rhizobacterium Bacillus velezensis SQR9. We found that deficiency of ytrP or ykuI in SQR9 led to impaired biofilm formation, while deficiency of yuxH led to weakened motility. Further investigation showed that YtrP, YuxH, and YkuI all contributed to the root colonization of SQR9 on cucumber root. Further bioinformatics analysis showed that YtrP and YuxH are conserved in plant beneficial Bacillus group, while they do not occur in animal pathogenic Bacillus. This research will be useful for enhancing the beneficial function of Bacillus spp. in agricultural application. C-di-GMP is involved in root colonization of B. velezensis YtrP and YkuI enhance the root colonization by regulating biofilm of B velezensis YuxH enhances the root colonization by affecting the motility of B. velezensis YtrP and YuxH are conserved in plant beneficial Bacillus group
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong 264003, P.R. China,Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R. China
| | - Chen Tu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong 264003, P.R. China
| | - Yanan Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong 264003, P.R. China
| | - Ruifu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R. China,College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, P.R. China
| | - Yunpeng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Resources Collection and Preservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R. China,Corresponding author
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13
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Wang P, Zhao Y, Wang W, Lin S, Tang K, Liu T, Wood TK, Wang X. Mobile genetic elements used by competing coral microbial populations increase genomic plasticity. THE ISME JOURNAL 2022; 16:2220-2229. [PMID: 35760883 PMCID: PMC9381726 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-022-01272-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Intraspecies diversification and niche adaptation by members of the Vibrio genus, one of the most diverse bacterial genera, is thought to be driven by horizontal gene transfer. However, the intrinsic driving force of Vibrio species diversification is much less explored. Here, by studying two dominant and competing cohabitants of the gastric cavity of corals, we found that a phenotype influencing island (named VPII) in Vibrio alginolyticus was eliminated upon coculturing with Pseudoalteromonas. The loss of VPII reduced the biofilm formation and phage resistance, but activated motility, which may allow V. alginolyticus to expand to other niches. Mechanistically, we discovered that the excision of this island is mediated by the cooperation of two unrelated mobile genetic elements harbored in Pseudoalteromonas spp., an integrative and conjugative element (ICE) and a mobilizable genomic island (MGI). More importantly, these mobile genetic elements are widespread in cohabitating Gram-negative bacteria. Altogether, we discovered a new strategy by which the mobilome is employed by competitors to increase the genomic plasticity of rivals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengxia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), No.1119, Haibin Road, Nansha District, Guangzhou, 511458, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yi Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, Hebei, China
| | - Weiquan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), No.1119, Haibin Road, Nansha District, Guangzhou, 511458, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shituan Lin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), No.1119, Haibin Road, Nansha District, Guangzhou, 511458, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Kaihao Tang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), No.1119, Haibin Road, Nansha District, Guangzhou, 511458, China
| | - Tianlang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), No.1119, Haibin Road, Nansha District, Guangzhou, 511458, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Thomas K Wood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802-4400, USA
| | - Xiaoxue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), No.1119, Haibin Road, Nansha District, Guangzhou, 511458, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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14
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Characterization of GefA, a GGEEF domain-containing protein that modulates Vibrio parahaemolyticus motility, biofilm formation, and virulence. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0223921. [PMID: 35108083 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02239-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a significant food-borne pathogen that causes economic and public health problems worldwide and has the high capacity to adapt to diverse environments and hosts. The second messenger cyclic diguanylate monophosphate (c-di-GMP) allows bacteria to shift from a planktonic form to a communal multicellular lifestyle and plays an important role in bacterial survival and transmission. Here we characterized single-domain c-di-GMP synthetases in V. parahaemolyticus and identified a novel GGEEF domain-containing protein designated GefA that modulates bacterial swarming motility, biofilm formation, and virulence. GefA inhibits swarming motility by regulating the expression of lateral flagella, while it enhances biofilm formation by controlling exopolysaccharide biosynthesis. Under high-c-di-GMP conditions caused by scrABC knock-out, we found that GefA is bifunctional, as it has no effect on swarming motility but retains the ability to regulate biofilm formation. Subsequent studies suggested that GefA regulates the expression of type III secretion system 1 (T3SS1), which is an important virulence factor in V. parahaemolyticus. Here, we also revealed that the flagella participate in the infection of V. parahaemolyticus. We found that both the T3SS1 and flagella contribute to the GefA-mediated virulence of V. parahaemolyticus in the zebrafish model. Our results expand the knowledge of the V. parahaemolyticus c-di-GMP synthetases and their roles in social behaviors and pathogenicity. Importance The c-di-GMP metabolic enzymes constitute one of the largest clusters of potential orthologues in V. parahaemolyticus. However, the specific roles that these individual c-di-GMP metabolic enzymes play are largely unknown. Here, we identified a GGEEF domain-containing protein designated GefA that regulates bacterial behaviors and virulence. We also demonstrated that flagella participate in the infection of this bacterium, through which GefA regulates the bacterial virulence. To our knowledge, the roles that c-di-GMP and flagella play in V. parahaemolyticus virulence have never been revealed before. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the function of c-di-GMP and its synthetases in V. parahaemolyticus.
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15
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Homma M, Kojima S. Roles of the second messenger c‐di‐GMP in bacteria: Focusing on the topics of flagellar regulation and
Vibrio
spp. Genes Cells 2022; 27:157-172. [PMID: 35073606 PMCID: PMC9303241 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Typical second messengers include cyclic AMP (cAMP), cyclic GMP (cGMP), and inositol phosphate. In bacteria, cyclic diguanylate (c‐di‐GMP), which is not used in animals, is widely used as a second messenger for environmental responses. Initially found as a regulator of cellulose synthesis, this small molecule is known to be widely present in bacteria. A wide variety of synthesis and degradation enzymes for c‐di‐GMP exist, and the activities of effector proteins are regulated by changing the cellular c‐di‐GMP concentration in response to the environment. It has been shown well that c‐di‐GMP plays an essential role in pathogenic cycle and is involved in flagellar motility in Vibrio cholerae. In this review, we aim to explain the direct or indirect regulatory mechanisms of c‐di‐GMP in bacteria, focusing on the study of c‐di‐GMP in Vibrio spp. and in flagella, which are our research subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michio Homma
- Division of Biological Science Graduate School of Science Nagoya University Nagoya Japan
| | - Seiji Kojima
- Division of Biological Science Graduate School of Science Nagoya University Nagoya Japan
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16
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A Trigger Phosphodiesterase Modulates the Global c-di-GMP Pool, Motility, and Biofilm Formation in Vibrio parahaemolyticus. J Bacteriol 2021; 203:e0004621. [PMID: 33846117 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00046-21] [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] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus cells transit from free-swimming to surface adapted lifestyles, such as swarming colonies and three-dimensional biofilms. These transitions are regulated by sensory modules and regulatory networks that involve the second messenger cyclic diguanylate monophosphate (c-di-GMP). In this work, we show that a previously uncharacterized c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase (VP1881) from V. parahaemolyticus plays an important role in modulating the c-di-GMP pool. We found that the product of VP1881 promotes its own expression when the levels of c-di-GMP are low or when the phosphodiesterase (PDE) is catalytically inactive. This behavior has been observed in a class of c-di-GMP receptors called trigger phosphodiesterases, and hence we named the product of VP1881 TpdA, for trigger phosphodiesterase A. The absence of tpdA showed a negative effect on swimming motility while, its overexpression from an isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG)-inducible promoter showed a positive effect on both swimming and swarming motility and a negative effect on biofilm formation. Changes in TpdA abundance altered the expression of representative polar and lateral flagellar genes, as well as that of the biofilm-related gene cpsA. Our results also revealed that autoactivation of the native PtpdA promoter is sufficient to alter c-di-GMP signaling responses such as swarming and biofilm formation in V. parahaemolyticus, an observation that could have important implications in the dynamics of these social behaviors. IMPORTANCE c-di-GMP trigger phosphodiesterases (PDEs) could play a key role in controlling the heterogeneity of biofilm matrix composition, a property that endows characteristics that are potentially relevant for sustaining integrity and functionality of biofilms in a variety of natural environments. Trigger PDEs are not always easy to identify based on their sequence, and hence not many examples of these type of signaling proteins have been reported in the literature. Here, we report on the identification of a novel trigger PDE in V. parahaemolyticus and provide evidence suggesting that its autoactivation could play an important role in the progression of swarming motility and biofilm formation, multicellular behaviors that are important for the survival and dissemination of this environmental pathogen.
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17
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Zhang Y, Qiu Y, Gao H, Sun J, Li X, Zhang M, Xue X, Yang W, Ni B, Hu L, Yin Z, Lu R, Zhou D. OpaR Controls the Metabolism of c-di-GMP in Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:676436. [PMID: 34163453 PMCID: PMC8215210 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.676436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Vibrio parahaemolyticus, the leading cause of seafood-associated gastroenteritis worldwide, has a strong ability to form biofilms on surfaces. Quorum sensing (QS) is a process widely used by bacteria to communicate with each other and control gene expression via the secretion and detection of autoinducers. OpaR is the master QS regulator of V. parahaemolyticus operating under high cell density (HCD). OpaR regulation of V. parahaemolyticus biofilm formation has been reported, but the regulatory mechanisms are still not fully understood. bis-(3'-5')-cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) is an omnipresent intracellular second messenger that regulates diverse behaviors of bacteria including activation of biofilm formation. In this work, we showed that OpaR repressed biofilm formation and decreased the intracellular concentration of c-di-GMP in V. parahaemolyticus RIMD2210633. The OpaR box-like sequences were detected within the regulatory DNA regions of scrA, scrG, VP0117, VPA0198, VPA1176, VP0699, and VP2979, encoding a group of GGDEF and/or EAL-type proteins. The results of qPCR, LacZ fusion, EMSA, and DNase I footprinting assays demonstrated that OpaR bound to the upstream DNA regions of scrA, VP0117, VPA0198, VPA1176, and VP0699 to repress their transcription, whereas it positively and directly regulated the transcription of scrG and VP2979. Thus, transcriptional regulation of these genes by OpaR led directly to changes in the intracellular concentration of c-di-GMP. The direct association between QS and c-di-GMP metabolism in V. parahaemolyticus RIMD2210633 would be conducive to precise control of gene transcription and bacterial behaviors such as biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiquan Zhang
- Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China.,School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yue Qiu
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - He Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Junfang Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhang
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Xingfan Xue
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Wenhui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Ni
- School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Lingfei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhe Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Renfei Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Dongsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
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