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Role of serine/threonine protein phosphatase PrpN in the life cycle of Bacillus anthracis. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010729. [PMID: 35913993 PMCID: PMC9371265 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Reversible protein phosphorylation at serine/threonine residues is one of the most common protein modifications, widely observed in all kingdoms of life. The catalysts controlling this modification are specific serine/threonine kinases and phosphatases that modulate various cellular pathways ranging from growth to cellular death. Genome sequencing and various omics studies have led to the identification of numerous serine/threonine kinases and cognate phosphatases, yet the physiological relevance of many of these proteins remain enigmatic. In Bacillus anthracis, only one ser/thr phosphatase, PrpC, has been functionally characterized; it was reported to be non-essential for bacterial growth and survival. In the present study, we characterized another ser/thr phosphatase (PrpN) of B. anthracis by various structural and functional approaches. To examine its physiological relevance in B. anthracis, a null mutant strain of prpN was generated and shown to have defects in sporulation and reduced synthesis of toxins (PA and LF) and the toxin activator protein AtxA. We also identified CodY, a global transcriptional regulator, as a target of PrpN and ser/thr kinase PrkC. CodY phosphorylation strongly controlled its binding to the promoter region of atxA, as shown using phosphomimetic and phosphoablative mutants. In nutshell, the present study reports phosphorylation-mediated regulation of CodY activity in the context of anthrax toxin synthesis in B. anthracis by a previously uncharacterized ser/thr protein phosphatase–PrpN. Reversible protein phosphorylation at specific ser/thr residues causes conformational changes in the protein structure, thereby modulating its cellular activity. In B. anthracis, though the role of ser/thr phosphorylation is implicated in various cellular pathways including pathogenesis, till date only one STP (PrpC) has been functionally characterized. This manuscript reports functional characterization of another STP (PrpN) in B. anthracis and with the aid of a null mutant strain (BAS ΔprpN) we provide important insight regarding the role of PrpN in the life cycle of B. anthracis. We have also identified the global transcriptional regulator, CodY as a target of PrpN and PrkC, and for the first time showed the physiological relevance of CodY phosphorylation status in the regulation of anthrax toxin synthesis.
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Sun J, Liu Y, Lin F, Lu Z, Lu Y. CodY, ComA, DegU and Spo0A controlling lipopeptides biosynthesis in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens fmbJ. J Appl Microbiol 2021; 131:1289-1304. [PMID: 33460520 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
AIM In the study, we investigated the regulatory effects of these genes (codY, comA, degU and spo0A) on the biosynthesis of three lipopeptides (bacillomycin D, fengycin and surfactin) in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. METHODS AND RESULTS The codY, comA, degU and spo0A genes in B. amyloliquefaciens fmbJ were knocked out. The results showed that the productions of bacillomycin D were significantly reduced compared with that of fmbJ. Their deletion induced great changes in the levels of transcripts specifying metabolic pathways, quorum sensing system and substance transport system in fmbJ. Moreover, overexpression of these genes improved the productions of bacillomycin D. In particular, the overexpression of spo0A enhanced bacillomycin D yield up to 648·9 ± 60·9 mg l-1 from 277·3 ± 30·5 mg l-1 . In addition, the yields of surfactin in fmbJΔcodY and fmbJΔdegU were significantly improved, and the regulatory factor CodY had no significant effect on the synthesis of fengycin. CONCLUSIONS These genes positively regulated the expression of bacillomycin D and fengycin synthase genes in strain fmbJ. However, codY and degU negatively regulated surfactin biosynthesis. Moreover, it was found that CodY had a concentration dependence on bacillomycin D synthesis. Spo0A might play a direct regulatory role in the synthesis and secretion of bacillomycin D. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY This study indicated that genetic engineering of regulatory genes was an effective strategy to improve the yields of antimicrobial lipopeptides and provided promising strains for industrial production of lipopeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Sun
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.,College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Y Liu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - F Lin
- College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Z Lu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Y Lu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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Transcriptional Regulators in Bacillus anthracis: A Potent Biothreat Agent. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN MICROBIAL TECHNOLOGIES 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-4439-2_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Clark J, Terwilliger A, Nguyen C, Green S, Nobles C, Maresso A. Heme catabolism in the causative agent of anthrax. Mol Microbiol 2019; 112:515-531. [PMID: 31063630 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
A challenge common to all bacterial pathogens is to acquire nutrients from hostile host environments. Iron is an important cofactor required for essential cellular processes such as DNA repair, energy production and redox balance. Within a mammalian host, most iron is sequestered within heme, which in turn is predominantly bound by hemoglobin. While little is understood about the mechanisms by which bacterial hemophores attain heme from host-hemoglobin, even less is known about intracellular heme processing. Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, displays a remarkable ability to grow in mammalian hosts. Hypothesizing this pathogen harbors robust ways to catabolize heme, we characterize two new intracellular heme-binding proteins that are distinct from the previously described IsdG heme monooxygenase. The first of these, HmoA, binds and degrades heme, is necessary for heme detoxification and facilitates growth on heme iron sources. The second protein, HmoB, binds and degrades heme too, but is not necessary for heme utilization or virulence. The loss of both HmoA and IsdG renders B. anthracis incapable of causing anthrax disease. The additional loss of HmoB in this background increases clearance of bacilli in lungs, which is consistent with this protein being important for survival in alveolar macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Clark
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Austen Terwilliger
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chinh Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sabrina Green
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Chris Nobles
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anthony Maresso
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Zhou Y, Qin Y, Liu X, Feng Z, Zhu H, Yao Q. Soil Bacterial Function Associated With Stylo (Legume) and Bahiagrass (Grass) Is Affected More Strongly by Soil Chemical Property Than by Bacterial Community Composition. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:798. [PMID: 31031740 PMCID: PMC6473644 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Soil microbes are driver of nutrient cycling, with microbial function affected by community composition and soil chemical property. Legume and grass are ubiquitous in many ecosystems, however, their differential effects on microbial function are less understood. Here we constructed compartmented rhizobox planted with stylo (Stylosanthes guianensis, legume) or bahiagrass (Paspalum natatum, grass) to compare their influences on bacterial function and to investigate the determinant of bacterial function. Soils in root compartment and in near (0–5 mm from root compartment) or far (10–15 mm from root compartment) rhizosphere were sampled. Soil chemical properties, bacterial community composition and function were characterized. Results indicate that plant species and distance significantly affected bacterial function. The activities of beta-xylosidase, nitrate reductase and phosphomonoesterase were higher in stylo soil than in bahiagrass soil, while leucine-aminopeptidase activity and nosZ abundance were vice versa. Rhizosphere effect was obvious for the activities of beta-glucosidase, beta-xylosidase, chitinase, and the abundances of AOB-amoA, nirS, nosZ. Statistical analysis revealed that soil chemical property was significantly associated with bacterial function, with a higher coefficient than bacterial community composition. These data suggest that stylo and bahiagrass differentially affect bacterial function, which is affected more strongly by soil chemical property than by community composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhou
- College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Litchi, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Grass Science, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongqiang Qin
- College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Litchi, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Grass Science, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaodi Liu
- College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Litchi, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Grass Science, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zengwei Feng
- College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Litchi, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Grass Science, Guangzhou, China
| | - Honghui Zhu
- Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qing Yao
- College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Litchi, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Grass Science, Guangzhou, China
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Kim SK, Park YM, Jung KH, Chai YG. Deletion of a putative NlpC/P60 endopeptidase BAS1812 affects germination, long-term survival and endospore formation in Bacillus anthracis. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2016; 163:144-152. [PMID: 28008818 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis, an aetiologic agent of the zoonotic disease anthrax, encodes a putative NlpC/P60 endopeptidase BAS1812. It harbours a signal peptide, three bacterial SH3 domains and an NlpC/P60 family domain. Previous studies showed that BAS1812 is immunogenic in infected hosts and is a potential biomarker for anthrax treatment. To date, however, little information is known about its function and involvement in anthrax pathogenesis. Here we describe the phenotypic effect of BAS1812 deletion in B. anthracis Sterne strain. Transcriptional analysis showed that BAS1812 expression in a host-like environment was enhanced at the end of log phase, started to diminish after entry to stationary phase and increased again late in stationary phase. The constructed BAS1812 mutant showed impaired long-term survival in the stationary growth phase, less resilience to detergent, lesser endospore formation and delayed germination. The mutant also showed diminished ability to degrade peptidoglycan, but its ability to produce anthrax exotoxins was not affected. We hypothesize that BAS1812 is a cell wall hydrolase involved in biological activities related to maintaining cell wall integrity, sporulation and spore germination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se Kye Kim
- Department of Molecular and Life Science, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Min Park
- Department of Molecular and Life Science, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Hwa Jung
- Department of Molecular and Life Science, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Gyu Chai
- Department of Bionanotechnology, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea.,Department of Molecular and Life Science, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do 15588, Republic of Korea
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Brinsmade SR. CodY, a master integrator of metabolism and virulence in Gram-positive bacteria. Curr Genet 2016; 63:417-425. [PMID: 27744611 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-016-0656-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence points to CodY, a global regulator in Gram-positive bacteria, as a critical link between microbial physiology and pathogenesis in diverse environments. Recent studies uncovering graded regulation of CodY gene targets reflect the true nature of this transcription factor controlled by ligands and reveal nutrient availability as a potentially critical factor in modulating pathogenesis. This review will serve to update the status of the field and raise new questions to be answered.
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