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Mayo-Pérez S, Gama-Martínez Y, Dávila S, Rivera N, Hernández-Lucas I. LysR-type transcriptional regulators: state of the art. Crit Rev Microbiol 2023:1-33. [PMID: 37635411 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2023.2247477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
The LysR-type transcriptional regulators (LTTRs) are DNA-binding proteins present in bacteria, archaea, and in algae. Knowledge about their distribution, abundance, evolution, structural organization, transcriptional regulation, fundamental roles in free life, pathogenesis, and bacteria-plant interaction has been generated. This review focuses on these aspects and provides a current picture of LTTR biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Mayo-Pérez
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Y Gama-Martínez
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - S Dávila
- Centro de Investigación en Dinámica Celular, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - N Rivera
- IPN: CICATA, Unidad Morelos del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Atlacholoaya, Mexico
| | - I Hernández-Lucas
- Departamento de Microbiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
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2
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Liu L, Liu W, He Y, Liu Y, Wu H, Zhang Y, Zhang Q. Transcriptional Regulation of hmsB, A Temperature-Dependent Small RNA, by RovM in Yersinia pestis Biovar Microtus. Curr Microbiol 2023; 80:182. [PMID: 37046126 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-023-03293-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
HmsB, a temperature-dependent sRNA, promotes biofilm formation by Yersinia pestis, but whether its own expression is regulated by other regulators is still poorly understood. RovM is a global regulator that activates biofilm formation but represses the virulence of Y. pestis. In this work, the results of primer extension, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and LacZ fusion demonstrated that RovM was able to activate hmsB expression. However, the results of electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) showed that His-RovM did not bind to the upstream DNA region of hmsB. Thus, RovM may exert its regulatory action on hmsB expression in an indirect manner. The data presented here enriched the content of the regulatory circuits that control gene expression in Y. pestis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Liu
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, General Hospital of Central Theater Command of the PLA, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Wanbing Liu
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, General Hospital of Central Theater Command of the PLA, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Yingyu He
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, General Hospital of Central Theater Command of the PLA, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, General Hospital of Central Theater Command of the PLA, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
| | - Haisheng Wu
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, 811602, China
| | - Yiquan Zhang
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, 811602, China.
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Nantong Hospital 3 of Nantong University, Nantong, 226006, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Qinwen Zhang
- Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, 811602, China.
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3
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Nlp enhances biofilm formation by Yersinia pestis biovar microtus. Microb Pathog 2022; 169:105659. [PMID: 35760284 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2022.105659] [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: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Biofilms formed by Yersinia pestis are able to attach to and block flea's proventriculus, which stimulates the transmission of this pathogen from fleas to mammals. In this study, we found that Nlp (YP1143) enhanced biofilm formation by Y. pestis and had regulatory effects on biofilm-associated genes at the transcriptional level. Phenotypic assays, including colony morphology assay, crystal violet staining, and Caenorhabditis elegans biofilm assay, disclosed that Nlp strongly promoted biofilm formation by Y. pestis. Further gene regulation assays showed that Nlp stimulated the expression of hmsHFRS, hmsCDE and hmsB, while had no regulatory effect on the expression of hmsT and hmsP at the transcriptional level. These findings promoted us to gain more understanding of the complex regulatory circuits controlling biofilm formation by Y. pestis.
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4
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Bouvenot T, Dewitte A, Bennaceur N, Pradel E, Pierre F, Bontemps-Gallo S, Sebbane F. Interplay between Yersinia pestis and its flea vector in lipoate metabolism. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:1136-1149. [PMID: 33479491 PMCID: PMC8182812 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-00839-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
To thrive, vector-borne pathogens must survive in the vector's gut. How these pathogens successfully exploit this environment in time and space has not been extensively characterized. Using Yersinia pestis (the plague bacillus) and its flea vector, we developed a bioluminescence-based approach and employed it to investigate the mechanisms of pathogenesis at an unprecedented level of detail. Remarkably, lipoylation of metabolic enzymes, via the biosynthesis and salvage of lipoate, increases the Y. pestis transmission rate by fleas. Interestingly, the salvage pathway's lipoate/octanoate ligase LplA enhances the first step in lipoate biosynthesis during foregut colonization but not during midgut colonization. Lastly, Y. pestis primarily uses lipoate provided by digestive proteolysis (presumably as lipoyl peptides) rather than free lipoate in blood, which is quickly depleted by the vector. Thus, spatial and temporal factors dictate the bacterium's lipoylation strategies during an infection, and replenishment of lipoate by digestive proteolysis in the vector might constitute an Achilles' heel that is exploited by pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Typhanie Bouvenot
- grid.503422.20000 0001 2242 6780Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 – CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Amélie Dewitte
- grid.503422.20000 0001 2242 6780Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 – CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Nadia Bennaceur
- grid.503422.20000 0001 2242 6780Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 – CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Elizabeth Pradel
- grid.503422.20000 0001 2242 6780Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 – CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - François Pierre
- grid.503422.20000 0001 2242 6780Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 – CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Sébastien Bontemps-Gallo
- grid.503422.20000 0001 2242 6780Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 – CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Florent Sebbane
- grid.503422.20000 0001 2242 6780Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 – CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
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5
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Hinnebusch BJ, Jarrett CO, Bland DM. Molecular and Genetic Mechanisms That Mediate Transmission of Yersinia pestis by Fleas. Biomolecules 2021; 11:210. [PMID: 33546271 PMCID: PMC7913351 DOI: 10.3390/biom11020210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to cause plague in mammals represents only half of the life history of Yersinia pestis. It is also able to colonize and produce a transmissible infection in the digestive tract of the flea, its insect host. Parallel to studies of the molecular mechanisms by which Y. pestis is able to overcome the immune response of its mammalian hosts, disseminate, and produce septicemia, studies of Y. pestis-flea interactions have led to the identification and characterization of important factors that lead to transmission by flea bite. Y. pestis adapts to the unique conditions in the flea gut by altering its metabolic physiology in ways that promote biofilm development, a common strategy by which bacteria cope with a nutrient-limited environment. Biofilm localization to the flea foregut disrupts normal fluid dynamics of blood feeding, resulting in regurgitative transmission. Many of the important genes, regulatory pathways, and molecules required for this process have been identified and are reviewed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- B. Joseph Hinnebusch
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA; (C.O.J.); (D.M.B.)
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6
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Dewitte A, Bouvenot T, Pierre F, Ricard I, Pradel E, Barois N, Hujeux A, Bontemps-Gallo S, Sebbane F. A refined model of how Yersinia pestis produces a transmissible infection in its flea vector. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008440. [PMID: 32294143 PMCID: PMC7185726 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In flea-borne plague, blockage of the flea's foregut by Yersinia pestis hastens transmission to the mammalian host. Based on microscopy observations, we first suggest that flea blockage results from primary infection of the foregut and not from midgut colonization. In this model, flea infection is characterized by the recurrent production of a mass that fills the lumen of the proventriculus and encompasses a large number of Y. pestis. This recurrence phase ends when the proventricular cast is hard enough to block blood ingestion. We further showed that ymt (known to be essential for flea infection) is crucial for cast production, whereas the hmsHFRS operon (known to be essential for the formation of the biofilm that blocks the gut) is needed for cast consolidation. By screening a library of mutants (each lacking a locus previously known to be upregulated in the flea gut) for biofilm formation, we found that rpiA is important for flea blockage but not for colonization of the midgut. This locus may initially be required to resist toxic compounds within the proventricular cast. However, once the bacterium has adapted to the flea, rpiA helps to form the biofilm that consolidates the proventricular cast. Lastly, we used genetic techniques to demonstrate that ribose-5-phosphate isomerase activity (due to the recent gain of a second copy of rpiA (y2892)) accentuated blockage but not midgut colonization. It is noteworthy that rpiA is an ancestral gene, hmsHFRS and rpiA2 were acquired by the recent ancestor of Y. pestis, and ymt was acquired by Y. pestis itself. Our present results (i) highlight the physiopathological and molecular mechanisms leading to flea blockage, (ii) show that the role of a gene like rpiA changes in space and in time during an infection, and (iii) emphasize that evolution is a gradual process punctuated by sudden jumps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Dewitte
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR9017- CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Typhanie Bouvenot
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR9017- CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - François Pierre
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR9017- CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Isabelle Ricard
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR9017- CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Elizabeth Pradel
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR9017- CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Nicolas Barois
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR9017- CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Anaïs Hujeux
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR9017- CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Sébastien Bontemps-Gallo
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR9017- CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
| | - Florent Sebbane
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR9017- CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Lille, France
- * E-mail:
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7
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Bontemps-Gallo S, Fernandez M, Dewitte A, Raphaël E, Gherardini FC, Elizabeth P, Koch L, Biot F, Reboul A, Sebbane F. Nutrient depletion may trigger the Yersinia pestis OmpR-EnvZ regulatory system to promote flea-borne plague transmission. Mol Microbiol 2019; 112:1471-1482. [PMID: 31424585 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The flea's lumen gut is a poorly documented environment where the agent of flea-borne plague, Yersinia pestis, must replicate to produce a transmissible infection. Here, we report that both the acidic pH and osmolarity of the lumen's contents display simple harmonic oscillations with different periods. Since an acidic pH and osmolarity are two of three known stimuli of the OmpR-EnvZ two-component system in bacteria, we investigated the role and function of this Y. pestis system in fleas. By monitoring the in vivo expression pattern of three OmpR-EnvZ-regulated genes, we concluded that the flea gut environment triggers OmpR-EnvZ. This activation was not, however, correlated with changes in pH and osmolarity but matched the pattern of nutrient depletion (the third known stimulus for OmpR-EnvZ). Lastly, we found that the OmpR-EnvZ and the OmpF porin are needed to produce the biofilm that ultimately obstructs the flea's gut and thus hastens the flea-borne transmission of plague. Taken as a whole, our data suggest that the flea gut is a complex, fluctuating environment in which Y. pestis senses nutrient depletion via OmpR-EnvZ. Once activated, the latter triggers a molecular program (including at least OmpF) that produces the biofilm required for efficient plague transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Bontemps-Gallo
- University of Lille, INSERM, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR8204, CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Marion Fernandez
- University of Lille, INSERM, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR8204, CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Amélie Dewitte
- University of Lille, INSERM, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR8204, CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Etienne Raphaël
- University of Lille, INSERM, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR8204, CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Frank C Gherardini
- Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Pradel Elizabeth
- University of Lille, INSERM, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR8204, CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Lionel Koch
- Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), Brétigny-sur-Orge, France.,Aix Marseille University, INSERM, SSA, IRBA, MCT, Marseille, France.,Ecole du Val de Grace (EVDG), Paris, France
| | - Fabrice Biot
- Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), Brétigny-sur-Orge, France.,Aix Marseille University, INSERM, SSA, IRBA, MCT, Marseille, France
| | - Angéline Reboul
- University of Lille, INSERM, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR8204, CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Florent Sebbane
- University of Lille, INSERM, CNRS, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR8204, CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000, Lille, France
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8
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Liu L, Zheng S. Transcriptional regulation of Yersinia pestis biofilm formation. Microb Pathog 2019; 131:212-217. [PMID: 30980880 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2019.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is transmitted primarily by infected fleas in nature. Y. pestis can produce biofilms that block flea's proventriculus and promote flea-borne transmission. Transcriptional regulation of Y. pestis biofilm formation plays an important role in the response to complex changes in environments, including temperature, pH, oxidative stress, and restrictive nutrition conditions, and contributes to Y. pestis growth, reproduction, transmission, and pathogenesis. A set of transcriptional regulators involved in Y. pestis biofilm production simultaneously controls a variety of biological functions and physiological pathways. Interactions between these regulators contribute to the development of Y. pestis gene regulatory networks, which are helpful for a quick response to complex environmental changes and better survival. The roles of crucial factors and regulators involved in response to complex environmental signals and Y. pestis biofilm formation as well as the precise gene regulatory networks are discussed in this review, which will give a better understanding of the complicated mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in Y. pestis biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Liu
- Department of Transfusion, General Hospital of Central Theater Command, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China; State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Shangen Zheng
- Department of Transfusion, General Hospital of Central Theater Command, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
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9
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Okaro U, Green R, Mohapatra S, Anderson B. The trimeric autotransporter adhesin BadA is required for in vitro biofilm formation by Bartonella henselae. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2019; 5:10. [PMID: 30886729 PMCID: PMC6418236 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-019-0083-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Bartonella henselae (Bh) is a Gram-negative rod transmitted to humans by a scratch from the common house cat. Infection of humans with Bh can result in a range of clinical diseases including lymphadenopathy observed in cat-scratch disease and more serious disease from persistent bacteremia. It is a common cause of blood-culture negative endocarditis as the bacterium is capable of growing as aggregates, and forming biofilms on infected native and prosthetic heart valves. The aggregative growth requires a trimeric autotransporter adhesin (TAA) called Bartonella adhesin A (BadA). TAAs are found in all Bartonella species and many other Gram-negative bacteria. Using Bh Houston-1, Bh Houston-1 ∆badA and Bh Houston-1 ∆badA/pNS2PTrc badA (a partial complement of badA coding for a truncated protein of 741 amino acid residues), we analyze the role of BadA in adhesion and biofilm formation. We also investigate the role of environmental factors such as temperature on badA expression and biofilm formation. Real-time cell adhesion monitoring and electron microscopy show that Bh Houston-1 adheres and forms biofilm more efficiently than the Bh Houston-1 ∆badA. Deletion of the badA gene significantly decreases adhesion, the first step in biofilm formation in vitro, which is partially restored in Bh Houston-1 ∆badA/pNS2PTrc badA. The biofilm formed by Bh Houston-1 includes polysaccharides, proteins, and DNA components and is susceptible to enzymatic degradation of these components. Furthermore, both pH and temperature influence both badA expression and biofilm formation. We conclude that BadA is required for optimal adhesion, agglutination and biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udoka Okaro
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Ryan Green
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Subhra Mohapatra
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Burt Anderson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
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10
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Willcocks SJ, Stabler RA, Atkins HS, Oyston PF, Wren BW. High-throughput analysis of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis gene essentiality in optimised in vitro conditions, and implications for the speciation of Yersinia pestis. BMC Microbiol 2018; 18:46. [PMID: 29855259 PMCID: PMC5984423 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-018-1189-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is a zoonotic pathogen, causing mild gastrointestinal infection in humans. From this comparatively benign pathogenic species emerged the highly virulent plague bacillus, Yersinia pestis, which has experienced significant genetic divergence in a relatively short time span. Much of our knowledge of Yersinia spp. evolution stems from genomic comparison and gene expression studies. Here we apply transposon-directed insertion site sequencing (TraDIS) to describe the essential gene set of Y. pseudotuberculosis IP32953 in optimised in vitro growth conditions, and contrast these with the published essential genes of Y. pestis. Results The essential genes of an organism are the core genetic elements required for basic survival processes in a given growth condition, and are therefore attractive targets for antimicrobials. One such gene we identified is yptb3665, which encodes a peptide deformylase, and here we report for the first time, the sensitivity of Y. pseudotuberculosis to actinonin, a deformylase inhibitor. Comparison of the essential genes of Y. pseudotuberculosis with those of Y. pestis revealed the genes whose importance are shared by both species, as well as genes that were differentially required for growth. In particular, we find that the two species uniquely rely upon different iron acquisition and respiratory metabolic pathways under similar in vitro conditions. Conclusions The discovery of uniquely essential genes between the closely related Yersinia spp. represent some of the fundamental, species-defining points of divergence that arose during the evolution of Y. pestis from its ancestor. Furthermore, the shared essential genes represent ideal candidates for the development of novel antimicrobials against both species. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12866-018-1189-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Willcocks
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Richard A Stabler
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Helen S Atkins
- Microbiology, CBR Division, DSTL Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JQ, UK
| | - Petra F Oyston
- Microbiology, CBR Division, DSTL Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JQ, UK
| | - Brendan W Wren
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
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11
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Hinnebusch BJ, Jarrett CO, Bland DM. "Fleaing" the Plague: Adaptations of Yersinia pestis to Its Insect Vector That Lead to Transmission. Annu Rev Microbiol 2018; 71:215-232. [PMID: 28886687 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-090816-093521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Interest in arthropod-borne pathogens focuses primarily on how they cause disease in humans. How they produce a transmissible infection in their arthropod host is just as critical to their life cycle, however. Yersinia pestis adopts a unique life stage in the digestive tract of its flea vector, characterized by rapid formation of a bacterial biofilm that is enveloped in a complex extracellular polymeric substance. Localization and adherence of the biofilm to the flea foregut is essential for transmission. Here, we review the molecular and genetic mechanisms of these processes and present a comparative evaluation and updated model of two related transmission mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Joseph Hinnebusch
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840;
| | - Clayton O Jarrett
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840;
| | - David M Bland
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana 59840;
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12
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Liu L, Fang H, Yang H, Zhang Y, Han Y, Zhou D, Yang R. Reciprocal regulation of Yersinia pestis biofilm formation and virulence by RovM and RovA. Open Biol 2016; 6:rsob.150198. [PMID: 26984293 PMCID: PMC4821237 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.150198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
RovA is known to enhance Yersinia pestis virulence by directly upregulating the psa loci. This work presents a complex gene regulatory paradigm involving the reciprocal regulatory action of RovM and RovA on the expression of biofilm and virulence genes as well as on their own genes. RovM and RovA enhance and inhibit Y. pestis biofilm production, respectively, whereas RovM represses virulence in mice. RovM directly stimulates the transcription of hmsT, hmsCDE and rovM, while indirectly enhancing hmsHFRS transcription. It also indirectly represses hmsP transcription. By contrast, RovA directly represses hmsT transcription and indirectly inhibits waaAE-coaD transcription, while RovM inhibits psaABC and psaEF transcription by directly repressing rovA transcription. rovM expression is significantly upregulated at 26°C (the temperature of the flea gut) relative to 37°C (the warm-blooded host temperature). We speculate that upregulation of rovM together with downregulation of rovA in the flea gut would promote Y. pestis biofilm formation while inhibiting virulence gene expression, leading to a more transmissible infection of this pathogen in fleas. Once the bacterium shifts to a lifestyle in the warm-blooded hosts, inhibited RovM production accompanied by recovered RovA synthesis would encourage virulence factor production and inhibit biofilm gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Haihong Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Huiying Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiquan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, People's Republic of China School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanping Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, People's Republic of China
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13
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Liu Z, Gao X, Wang H, Fang H, Yan Y, Liu L, Chen R, Zhou D, Yang R, Han Y. Plasmid pPCP1-derived sRNA HmsA promotes biofilm formation of Yersinia pestis. BMC Microbiol 2016; 16:176. [PMID: 27492011 PMCID: PMC4973556 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-016-0793-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The ability of Yersinia pestis to form a biofilm is an important characteristic in flea transmission of this pathogen. Y. pestis laterally acquired two plasmids (pPCP1and pMT1) and the ability to form biofilms when it evolved from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are thought to play a crucial role in the processes of biofilm formation and pathogenesis. Results A pPCP1-derived sRNA HmsA (also known as sR084) was found to contribute to the enhanced biofilm formation phenotype of Y. pestis. The concentration of c-di-GMP was significantly reduced upon deletion of the hmsA gene in Y. pestis. The abundance of mRNA transcripts determining exopolysaccharide production, crucial for biofilm formation, was measured by primer extension, RT-PCR and lacZ transcriptional fusion assays in the wild-type and hmsA mutant strains. HmsA positively regulated biofilm synthesis-associated genes (hmsHFRS, hmsT and hmsCDE), but had no regulatory effect on the biofilm degradation-associated gene hmsP. Interestingly, the recently identified biofilm activator sRNA, HmsB, was rapidly degraded in the hmsA deletion mutant. Two genes (rovM and rovA) functioning as biofilm regulators were also found to be regulated by HmsA, whose regulatory effects were consistent with the HmsA-mediated biofilm phenotype. Conclusion HmsA potentially functions as an activator of biofilm formation in Y. pestis, implying that sRNAs encoded on the laterally acquired plasmids might be involved in the chromosome-based regulatory networks implicated in Y. pestis-specific physiological processes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12866-016-0793-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zizhong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China.,State Key Lab of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Xiaofang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China.,Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230032, China
| | - Hongduo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China.,College of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, 230601, China
| | - Haihong Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Yanfeng Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Lei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Rong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China.,The General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Dongsheng Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China.
| | - Yanping Han
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20, Dongdajie, Fengtai, Beijing, 100071, China.
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14
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Chen S, Thompson KM, Francis MS. Environmental Regulation of Yersinia Pathophysiology. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2016; 6:25. [PMID: 26973818 PMCID: PMC4773443 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2016.00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Hallmarks of Yersinia pathogenesis include the ability to form biofilms on surfaces, the ability to establish close contact with eukaryotic target cells and the ability to hijack eukaryotic cell signaling and take over control of strategic cellular processes. Many of these virulence traits are already well-described. However, of equal importance is knowledge of both confined and global regulatory networks that collaborate together to dictate spatial and temporal control of virulence gene expression. This review has the purpose to incorporate historical observations with new discoveries to provide molecular insight into how some of these regulatory mechanisms respond rapidly to environmental flux to govern tight control of virulence gene expression by pathogenic Yersinia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan, China
| | - Karl M Thompson
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Howard University Washington, DC, USA
| | - Matthew S Francis
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, Umeå UniversityUmeå, Sweden; Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå UniversityUmeå, Sweden
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15
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Bland DM, Hinnebusch BJ. Feeding Behavior Modulates Biofilm-Mediated Transmission of Yersinia pestis by the Cat Flea, Ctenocephalides felis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004413. [PMID: 26829486 PMCID: PMC4734780 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is prevalent worldwide, will parasitize animal reservoirs of plague, and is associated with human habitations in known plague foci. Despite its pervasiveness, limited information is available about the cat flea's competence as a vector for Yersinia pestis. It is generally considered to be a poor vector, based on studies examining early-phase transmission during the first week after infection, but transmission potential by the biofilm-dependent proventricular-blocking mechanism has never been systematically evaluated. In this study, we assessed the vector competence of cat fleas by both mechanisms. Because the feeding behavior of cat fleas differs markedly from important rat flea vectors, we also examined the influence of feeding behavior on transmission dynamics. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Groups of cat fleas were infected with Y. pestis and subsequently provided access to sterile blood meals twice-weekly, 5 times per week, or daily for 4 weeks and monitored for infection, the development of proventricular biofilm and blockage, mortality, and the ability to transmit. In cat fleas allowed prolonged, daily access to blood meals, mimicking their natural feeding behavior, Y. pestis did not efficiently colonize the digestive tract and could only be transmitted during the first week after infection. In contrast, cat fleas that were fed intermittently, mimicking the feeding behavior of the efficient vector Xenopsylla cheopis, could become blocked and regularly transmitted Y. pestis for 3-4 weeks by the biofilm-mediated mechanism, but early-phase transmission was not detected. CONCLUSIONS The normal feeding behavior of C. felis, more than an intrinsic resistance to infection or blockage by Y. pestis, limits its vector competence. Rapid turnover of midgut contents results in bacterial clearance and disruption of biofilm accumulation in the proventriculus. Anatomical features of the cat flea foregut may also restrict transmission by both early-phase and proventricular biofilm-dependent mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M. Bland
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
| | - B. Joseph Hinnebusch
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, United States of America
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16
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Abstract
Y. pestis exhibits dramatically different traits of pathogenicity and transmission, albeit their close genetic relationship with its ancestor-Y. pseudotuberculosis, a self-limiting gastroenteric pathogen. Y. pestis is evolved into a deadly pathogen and transmitted to mammals and/or human beings by infected flea biting or directly contacting with the infected animals. Various kinds of environmental changes are implicated into its complex life cycle and pathogenesis. Dynamic regulation of gene expression is critical for environmental adaptation or survival, primarily reflected by genetic regulation mediated by transcriptional factors and small regulatory RNAs at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional level, respectively. The effects of genetic regulation have been shown to profoundly influence Y. pestis physiology and pathogenesis such as stress resistance, biofilm formation, intracellular survival, and replication. In this chapter, we mainly summarize the progresses on popular methods of genetic regulation and on regulatory patterns and consequences of many key transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulators, with a particular emphasis on how genetic regulation influences the biofilm and virulence of Y. pestis.
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17
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Santiago AS, Santos CA, Mendes JS, Toledo MAS, Beloti LL, Souza AA, Souza AP. Characterization of the LysR-type transcriptional regulator YcjZ-like from Xylella fastidiosa overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Protein Expr Purif 2015; 113:72-8. [PMID: 25979465 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2015.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Revised: 05/04/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The Xylella fastidiosa 9a5c strain is a xylem-limited phytopathogen that is the causal agent of citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC). This bacterium is able to form a biofilm and occlude the xylem vessels of susceptible plants, which leads to significant agricultural and economic losses. Biofilms are associated with bacterial pathogenicity because they are very resistant to antibiotics and other metal-based chemicals that are used in agriculture. The X. fastidiosa YcjZ-like (XfYcjZ-like) protein belongs to the LysR-type transcriptional regulator (LTTR) family and is involved in various cellular functions that range from quorum sensing to bacterial survival. In the present study, we report the cloning, expression and purification of XfYcjZ-like, which was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The secondary folding of the recombinant and purified protein was assessed by circular dichroism, which revealed that XfYcjZ-like contains a typical α/β fold. An initial hydrodynamic characterization showed that XfYcjZ-like is a globular tetramer in solution. In addition, using a polyclonal antibody against XfYcjZ-like, we assessed the expression profile of this protein during the different developmental phases of X. fastidiosa in in vitro cultivated biofilm cells and demonstrated that XfYcjZ-like is upregulated in planktonic cells in response to a copper shock treatment. Finally, the ability of XfYcjZ-like to interact with its own predicted promoter was confirmed in vitro, which is a typical feature of LysR. Taken together, our findings indicated that the XfYcjZ-like protein is involved in both the organization of the architecture and the maturation of the bacterial biofilm and that it is responsive to oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- André S Santiago
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Clelton A Santos
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Juliano S Mendes
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo A S Toledo
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Lilian L Beloti
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Alessandra A Souza
- Centro APTA Citros Sylvio Moreira/IAC, Rodovia Anhanguera Km 158, Cordeirópolis, SP, Brazil
| | - Anete P Souza
- Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Instituto de Biologia (IB), Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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18
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Fang N, Qu S, Yang H, Fang H, Liu L, Zhang Y, Wang L, Han Y, Zhou D, Yang R. HmsB enhances biofilm formation in Yersinia pestis. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:685. [PMID: 25566205 PMCID: PMC4264472 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The hmsHFRS operon is responsible for biosynthesis and translocation of biofilm matrix exopolysaccharide. Yersinia pestis expresses the two sole diguanylate cyclases HmsT and HmsD and the sole phosphodiesterase HmsP, which are specific for biosynthesis and degradation, respectively, of 3′,5′-cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP), a second messenger promoting exopolysaccharide production. In this work, the phenotypic assays indicates that Y. pestis sRNA HmsB enhances the production of c-di-GMP, exopolysaccharide, and biofilm. Further gene regulation experiments disclose that HmsB stimulates the expression of hmsB, hmsCDE, hmsT, and hmsHFRS but represses that of hmsP. HmsB most likely acts as a major activator of biofilm formation in Y. pestis. This is the first report of regulation of Yersinia biofilm formation by a sRNA. Data presented here will promote us to gain a deeper understanding of the complex regulatory circuits controlling Yersinia biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Shi Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Huiying Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Haihong Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Lei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Yiquan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
| | - Yanping Han
- 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
| | - Ruifu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology Beijing, China
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