rpoN1, but not rpoN2, is required for twitching motility, natural competence, growth on nitrate, and virulence of Ralstonia solanacearum

Exploring the multifaceted role of pehR in Ralstonia solanacearum pathogenesis: enzyme activity, motility, and biofilm formation

PehR is a transcriptional regulator among the various response regulators found in Ralstonia solanacearum, a bacterium that causes lethal wilt disease in over 450 plant species worldwide, including economically important crops such as tomato, chilli, and brinjal. PehR regulates the production of polygalacturonase, an extracellular enzyme that degrades plant cell walls, playing a significant role in bacterial wilt. Despite its significance, the precise function and regulatory mechanism of PehR in R. solanacearum are yet to be thoroughly investigated. The goal of this research is to better understand the role of PehR in R. solanacearum pathogenicity by identifying the genes and pathways that it regulates. By disrupting the pehR gene, we created the ΔpehR mutant of R. solanacearum F1C1, a strain isolated from Tezpur, Assam, India. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 667 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the ΔpehR mutant, with 320 upregulated and 347 downregulated compared to the wild-type F1C1 strain. GO and KEGG analyses indicated the downregulation of genes related to flagellum-dependent cell motility, membrane function, and amino acid degradation pathways in the ΔpehR mutant. EPS estimation, biochemical assays for biofilm production, motility, and enzymatic assays for cellulase and pectinase production were all used in the further characterization process. The ΔpehR mutant showed lower virulence in tomato seedlings compared to the wild-type F1C1 strain. The findings suggest that PehR could be a promising target for bacterial wilt disease control, as well as provide critical information for ensuring crop production safety around the world.

Transcriptome profiling of type VI secretion system core gene tssM mutant of Xanthomonas perforans highlights regulators controlling diverse functions ranging from virulence to metabolism

IMPORTANCE

T6SS has received attention due to its significance in mediating interorganismal competition through contact-dependent release of effector molecules into prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Reverse-genetic studies have indicated the role of T6SS in virulence in a variety of plant pathogenic bacteria, including the one studied here, Xanthomonas. However, it is not clear whether such effect on virulence is merely due to a shift in the microbiome-mediated protection or if T6SS is involved in a complex virulence regulatory network. In this study, we conducted in vitro transcriptome profiling in minimal medium to decipher the signaling pathways regulated by tssM-i3* in X. perforans AL65. We show that TssM-i3* regulates the expression of a suite of genes associated with virulence and metabolism either directly or indirectly by altering the transcription of several regulators. These findings further expand our knowledge on the intricate molecular circuits regulated by T6SS in phytopathogenic bacteria.

A study on twitching motility dynamics in Ralstonia solanacearum microcolonies by live imaging

Ralstonia solanacearum is a rod-shaped phytopathogenic bacterium that causes lethal wilt disease in many plants. On solid agar growth medium, in the early hour of the growth of the bacterial colony, the type IV pili-mediated twitching motility, which is important for its virulence and biofilm formation, is prominently observed under the microscope. In this study, we have done a detailed observation of twitching motility in R. solanacearum colony. In the beginning, twitching motility in the microcolonies was observed as a density-dependent phenomenon that influences the shape of the microcolonies. No such phenomenon was observed in Escherichia coli, where twitching motility is absent. In the early phase of colony growth, twitching motility exhibited by the cells at the peripheral region of the colony was more prominent than the cells toward the center of the colony. Using time-lapse photography and merging the obtained photomicrographs into a video, twitching motility was observed as an intermittent phenomenon that progresses in layers in all directions as finger-like projections at the peripheral region of a bacterial colony. Each layer of bacteria twitches on top of the other and produces a multilayered film-like appearance. We found that the duration between the emergence of each layer diminishes progressively as the colony becomes older. This study on twitching motility demonstrates distinctly heterogeneity among the cells within a colony regarding their dynamics and the influence of microcolonies on each other regarding their morphology.

Transcriptomic analysis of Ralstonia solanacearum in response to antibacterial volatiles of Bacillus velezensis FZB42

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), produced by a variety of microbial species and used as biological agents, have been demonstrated to play a significant role in controlling phytopathogens. In continuation of our previous studies, we aim to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and pathways involved in interactions between pathogens and microbial VOCs. In the current study, we tested how VOCs produced by Bacillus velezensis FZB42 affect the growth of Ralstonia solanacearum TBBS1 in vitro.Query The result showed that the colony growth of R. solanacearum was reduced with an inhibition rate of 0.83 ± 0.043 as compared to the control 1.7 ± 0.076, respectively. The number of viable cells of R. solanacearum was significantly decreased to 7.68 CFU/mL as compared to the control (9.02 CFU/mL). In addition, transcriptomic analysis of R. solanacearum in response to VOCs produced by FZB42 was performed to better understand the effect of VOCs on R. solanacearum. The transcriptional response of R. solanacearum to FZB42-VOCs was determined using an Illumina RNA-seq approach. The results revealed significant changes in the expression of 2094 R. solanacearum genes, including 593 upregulated and 1501 downregulated genes. To validate the RNA-seq results, the expression of 10 genes was quantified using RT-qPCR. Furthermore, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases were used to functionally annotate differentially expressed genes. Significant changes were observed in genes directly or indirectly related to virulence, including those related to bacterial invasion, motility, chemotaxis, and secretion systems. Overall, RNA-seq profiling provides new insights into the possible fundamental molecular mechanisms that are responsible for the reduction in growth and virulence of R. solanacearum upon application of FZB42-VOC.

Microliter spotting and micro-colony observation: A rapid and simple approach for counting bacterial colony forming units

For enumerating viable bacteria, traditional dilution plating to count colony forming units (CFUs) has always been the preferred method in microbiology owing to its simplicity, albeit being laborious and time-consuming. Similar CFU counts can be obtained by quantifying growing micro-colonies in conjunction with the benefits of a microscope. Here, we employed a simple method of five to ten microliter spotting of a diluted bacterial culture multiple times on a single Petri dish followed by determining CFU by counting micro-colonies using a phase-contrast microscope. In this method, the CFU of an Escherichia coli culture can be estimated within a four-hour period after spotting. Further, within a ten-hour period after spotting, CFU in a culture of Ralstonia solanacearum, a bacterium with a generation time of around 2 h, can be estimated. The CFU number determined by micro-colonies observed for 10⁶-fold dilutions or lower is similar to that obtained by the dilution plating method for 10⁷-fold dilutions or lower. Micro-colony numbers observed in the early hours of growth (2 h in case of E. coli and 8 h in case of R. solanacearum) were found to remain consistent at later hours (4 h in case of E. coli and 10 h in case of R. solanacearum), where the visibility of the colonies was better due to a noticeable increase in the size of the colonies. This suggested that micro-colonies observed in the early hours indeed represent the bacterial number in the culture. Practical applications to this counting method were employed in studying the rifampicin-resistant mutation rate as well as performing a fluctuation test in E. coli. The spotting method described here to enumerate bacterial CFU results in reduction of labour, time and resources.

Plant-Pathogenic Ralstonia Phylotypes Evolved Divergent Respiratory Strategies and Behaviors To Thrive in Xylem

Bacterial pathogens in the Ralstonia solanacearum species complex (RSSC) infect the water-transporting xylem vessels of plants, causing bacterial wilt disease. Strains in RSSC phylotypes I and III can reduce nitrate to dinitrogen via complete denitrification. The four-step denitrification pathway enables bacteria to use inorganic nitrogen species as terminal electron acceptors, supporting their growth in oxygen-limited environments such as biofilms or plant xylem. Reduction of nitrate, nitrite, and nitric oxide all contribute to the virulence of a model phylotype I strain. However, little is known about the physiological role of the last denitrification step, the reduction of nitrous oxide to dinitrogen by NosZ. We found that phylotypes I and III need NosZ for full virulence. However, strains in phylotypes II and IV are highly virulent despite lacking NosZ. The ability to respire by reducing nitrate to nitrous oxide does not greatly enhance the growth of phylotype II and IV strains. These partial denitrifying strains reach high cell densities during plant infection and cause typical wilt disease. However, unlike phylotype I and III strains, partial denitrifiers cannot grow well under anaerobic conditions or form thick biofilms in culture or in tomato xylem vessels. Furthermore, aerotaxis assays show that strains from different phylotypes have different oxygen and nitrate preferences. Together, these results indicate that the RSSC contains two subgroups that occupy the same habitat but have evolved divergent energy metabolism strategies to exploit distinct metabolic niches in the xylem. IMPORTANCE Plant-pathogenic Ralstonia spp. are a heterogeneous globally distributed group of bacteria that colonize plant xylem vessels. Ralstonia cells multiply rapidly in plants and obstruct water transport, causing fatal wilting and serious economic losses of many key food security crops. The virulence of these pathogens depends on their ability to grow to high cell densities in the low-oxygen xylem environment. Plant-pathogenic Ralstonia can use denitrifying respiration to generate ATP. The last denitrification step, nitrous oxide reduction by NosZ, contributes to energy production and virulence for only one of the three phytopathogenic Ralstonia species. These complete denitrifiers form thicker biofilms in culture and in tomato xylem, suggesting they are better adapted to hypoxic niches. Strains with partial denitrification physiology form less biofilm and are more often planktonic. They are nonetheless highly virulent. Thus, these closely related bacteria have adapted their core metabolic functions to exploit distinct microniches in the same habitat.

The Regulatory Functions of σ54 Factor in Phytopathogenic Bacteria

σ⁵⁴ factor (RpoN), a type of transcriptional regulatory factor, is widely found in pathogenic bacteria. It binds to core RNA polymerase (RNAP) and regulates the transcription of many functional genes in an enhancer-binding protein (EBP)-dependent manner. σ⁵⁴ has two conserved functional domains: the activator-interacting domain located at the N-terminal and the DNA-binding domain located at the C-terminal. RpoN directly binds to the highly conserved sequence, GGN₁₀GC, at the −24/−12 position relative to the transcription start site of target genes. In general, bacteria contain one or two RpoNs but multiple EBPs. A single RpoN can bind to different EBPs in order to regulate various biological functions. Thus, the overlapping and unique regulatory pathways of two RpoNs and multiple EBP-dependent regulatory pathways form a complex regulatory network in bacteria. However, the regulatory role of RpoN and EBPs is still poorly understood in phytopathogenic bacteria, which cause economically important crop diseases and pose a serious threat to world food security. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the regulatory function of RpoN, including swimming motility, flagella synthesis, bacterial growth, type IV pilus (T4Ps), twitching motility, type III secretion system (T3SS), and virulence-associated phenotypes in phytopathogenic bacteria. These findings and knowledge prove the key regulatory role of RpoN in bacterial growth and pathogenesis, as well as lay the groundwork for further elucidation of the complex regulatory network of RpoN in bacteria.

The alternative sigma factors, rpoN1 and rpoN2 are required for mycophagous activity of Burkholderia gladioli strain NGJ1

Bacteria utilize RpoN, an alternative sigma factor (σ54) to grow in diverse habitats, including nitrogen-limiting conditions. Here, we report that a rice-associated mycophagous bacterium Burkholderia gladioli strain NGJ1 encodes two paralogues of rpoN viz. rpoN1 and rpoN2. Both of them are upregulated during 24 h of mycophagous interaction with Rhizoctonia solani, a polyphagous fungal pathogen. Disruption of either one of rpoNs renders the mutant NGJ1 bacterium defective in mycophagy, whereas ectopic expression of respective rpoN genes restores mycophagy in the complementing strains. NGJ1 requires rpoN1 and rpoN2 for efficient biocontrol to prevent R. solani to establish disease in rice and tomato. Further, we have identified 17 genes having RpoN regulatory motif in NGJ1, majority of them encode potential type III secretion system (T3SS) effectors, nitrogen assimilation, and cellular transport-related functions. Several of these RpoN regulated genes as well as certain previously reported T3SS apparatus (hrcC and hrcN) and effector (Bg_9562 and endo-β-1,3-glucanase) encoding genes are upregulated in NGJ1 but not in ΔrpoN1 or ΔrpoN2 mutant bacterium, during mycophagous interaction with R. solani. This highlights that RpoN1 and RpoN2 modulate T3SS, nitrogen assimilation as well as cellular transport systems in NGJ1 and thereby promote bacterial mycophagy.

Insights into the Polyhydroxybutyrate Biosynthesis in Ralstonia solanacearum Using Parallel 13C Tracers and Comparative Genome Analysis

Bacterial accumulation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] is a metabolic strategy often adopted to cope with challenging surroundings. Ralstonia solanacearum, a phytopathogen, seems to be an ideal candidate with inherent ability to accumulate this biodegradable polymer of high industrial relevance. This study is focused on investigating the metabolic networks that channel glucose into P(3HB) using comparative genome analysis, ¹³C tracers, microscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR). Comparative genome annotation of 87 R. solanacearum strains confirmed the presence of a conserved P(3HB) biosynthetic pathway genes in the chromosome. Parallel ¹³C glucose feeding ([1-¹³C], [1,2-¹³C]) analysis mapped the glucose oxidation to 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB), the metabolic precursor of P(3HB) via the Entner-Doudoroff pathway (ED pathway), potentially to meet the NADPH demands. Fluorescence microscopy, GC-MS, and ¹H NMR analysis further confirmed the ability of R. solanacearum to accumulate P(3HB) granules. In addition, it is demonstrated that the carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio influences the P(3HB) yields, thereby highlighting the need to further optimize the bioprocessing parameters. This study provided key insights into the biosynthetic abilities of R. solanacearum as a promising P(3HB) producer.

Light modulates important physiological features of Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum during the colonization of tomato plants

Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum GMI1000 (Rpso GMI1000) is a soil-borne vascular phytopathogen that infects host plants through the root system causing wilting disease in a wide range of agro-economic interest crops, producing economical losses. Several features contribute to the full bacterial virulence. In this work we study the participation of light, an important environmental factor, in the regulation of the physiological attributes and infectivity of Rpso GMI1000. In silico analysis of the Rpso genome revealed the presence of a Rsp0254 gene, which encodes a putative blue light LOV-type photoreceptor. We constructed a mutant strain of Rpso lacking the LOV protein and found that the loss of this protein and light, influenced characteristics involved in the pathogenicity process such as motility, adhesion and the biofilms development, which allows the successful host plant colonization, rendering bacterial wilt. This protein could be involved in the adaptive responses to environmental changes. We demonstrated that light sensing and the LOV protein, would be used as a location signal in the host plant, to regulate the expression of several virulence factors, in a time and tissue dependent way. Consequently, bacteria could use an external signal and Rpsolov gene to know their location within plant tissue during the colonization process.

Transcriptome Analysis Revealed Overlapping and Special Regulatory Roles of RpoN1 and RpoN2 in Motility, Virulence, and Growth of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

σ⁵⁴ factor (RpoN) plays a crucial role in bacterial motility, virulence, growth, and other biological functions. In our previous study, two homologous σ⁵⁴ factors, RpoN1 and RpoN2, were identified in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), the causative agent of bacterial leaf blight in rice. However, their functional roles, i.e., whether they exert combined or independent effects, remain unknown. In the current study, rpoN1 or rpoN2 deletion in Xoo significantly disrupted bacterial swimming motility, flagellar assembly, and virulence. Transcriptome analysis led to the identification of 127 overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) regulated by both RpoN1 and RpoN2. Furthermore, GO and KEGG classification demonstrated that these DEGs were highly enriched in flagellar assembly, chemotaxis, and c-di-GMP pathways. Interestingly, ropN1 deletion decreased ropN2 transcription, while rpoN2 deletion did not affect ropN1 transcription. No interaction between the rpoN2 promoter and RpoN1 was detected, suggesting that RpoN1 indirectly regulates rpoN2 transcription. In addition, RpoN1-regulated DEGs were specially enriched in ribosome, carbon, and nitrogen metabolism pathways. Besides, bacterial growth was remarkably repressed in ΔrpoN1 but not in ΔrpoN2. Taken together, this study demonstrates the overlapping and unique regulatory roles of RpoN1 and RpoN2 in motility, virulence, growth and provides new insights into the regulatory mechanism of σ⁵⁴ factors in Xoo.

RpoN1 and RpoN2 play different regulatory roles in virulence traits, flagellar biosynthesis, and basal metabolism in Xanthomonas campestris

Homologous regulatory factors are widely present in bacteria, but whether homologous regulators synergistically or differentially regulate different biological functions remains mostly unknown. Here, we report that the homologous regulators RpoN1 and RpoN2 of the plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) play different regulatory roles with respect to virulence traits, flagellar biosynthesis, and basal metabolism. RpoN2 directly regulated Xcc fliC and fliQ to modulate flagellar synthesis in X. campestris, thus affecting the swimming motility of X. campestris. Mutation of rpoN2 resulted in reduced production of biofilms and extracellular polysaccharides in Xcc. These defects may together cause reduced virulence of the rpoN2 mutant against the host plant. Moreover, we demonstrated that RpoN1 could regulate branched-chain fatty acid production and modulate the synthesis of diffusible signal factor family quorum sensing signals. Although RpoN1 and RpoN2 are homologues, the regulatory roles and biological functions of these proteins were not interchangeable. Overall, our report provides new insights into the two different molecular roles that form the basis for the transcriptional specialization of RpoN homologues.

Experimental Evolution of Legume Symbionts: What Have We Learnt?

Rhizobia, the nitrogen-fixing symbionts of legumes, are polyphyletic bacteria distributed in many alpha- and beta-proteobacterial genera. They likely emerged and diversified through independent horizontal transfers of key symbiotic genes. To replay the evolution of a new rhizobium genus under laboratory conditions, the symbiotic plasmid of Cupriavidus taiwanensis was introduced in the plant pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum, and the generated proto-rhizobium was submitted to repeated inoculations to the C. taiwanensis host, Mimosa pudica L.. This experiment validated a two-step evolutionary scenario of key symbiotic gene acquisition followed by genome remodeling under plant selection. Nodulation and nodule cell infection were obtained and optimized mainly via the rewiring of regulatory circuits of the recipient bacterium. Symbiotic adaptation was shown to be accelerated by the activity of a mutagenesis cassette conserved in most rhizobia. Investigating mutated genes led us to identify new components of R. solanacearum virulence and C. taiwanensis symbiosis. Nitrogen fixation was not acquired in our short experiment. However, we showed that post-infection sanctions allowed the increase in frequency of nitrogen-fixing variants among a non-fixing population in the M. pudica-C. taiwanensis system and likely allowed the spread of this trait in natura. Experimental evolution thus provided new insights into rhizobium biology and evolution.

The Entner-Doudoroff and Nonoxidative Pentose Phosphate Pathways Bypass Glycolysis and the Oxidative Pentose Phosphate Pathway in Ralstonia solanacearum

Understanding the metabolic versatility of Ralstonia solanacearum is important, as it regulates the trade-off between virulence and metabolism (1, 2) in a wide range of plant hosts. Due to a lack of clear evidence until this work, several published research papers reported on the potential roles of glycolysis and the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (OxPPP) in R. solanacearum (3, 4). This work provided evidence from ¹³C stable isotope feeding and genome annotation-based comparative metabolic network analysis that the Entner-Doudoroff pathway and non-OxPPP bypass glycolysis and OxPPP during the oxidation of glucose, a component of the host xylem pool that serves as a potential carbon source (5). The outcomes help better define the central carbon metabolic network of R. solanacearum that can be integrated with ¹³C metabolic flux analysis as well as flux balance analysis studies for defining the metabolic phenotypes. The study highlights the need to critically examine phytopathogens whose metabolism is poorly understood.

In Ralstonia solanacearum, a devastating phytopathogen whose metabolism is poorly understood, we observed that the Entner-Doudoroff (ED) pathway and nonoxidative pentose phosphate pathway (non-OxPPP) bypass glycolysis and OxPPP under glucose oxidation. Evidence derived from ¹³C stable isotope feeding and genome annotation-based comparative metabolic network analysis supported the observations. Comparative metabolic network analysis derived from the currently available 53 annotated R. solanacearum strains, including a recently reported strain (F1C1), representing the four phylotypes, confirmed the lack of key genes coding for phosphofructokinase (pfk-1) and phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (gnd) enzymes that are relevant for glycolysis and OxPPP, respectively. R. solanacearum F1C1 cells fed with [¹³C]glucose (99% [1-¹³C]glucose or 99% [1,2-¹³C]glucose or 40% [¹³C₆]glucose) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based labeling analysis of fragments from amino acids, glycerol, and ribose provided clear evidence that rather than glycolysis and the OxPPP, the ED pathway and non-OxPPP are the main routes sustaining metabolism in R. solanacearum. The ¹³C incorporation in the mass ions of alanine (m/z 260 and m/z 232), valine (m/z 288 and m/z 260), glycine (m/z 218), serine (m/z 390 and m/z 362), histidine (m/z 440 and m/z 412), tyrosine (m/z 466 and m/z 438), phenylalanine (m/z 336 and m/z 308), glycerol (m/z 377), and ribose (m/z 160) mapped the pathways supporting the observations. The outcomes help better define the central carbon metabolic network of R. solanacearum that can be integrated with ¹³C metabolic flux analysis as well as flux balance analysis studies for defining the metabolic phenotypes.

IMPORTANCE Understanding the metabolic versatility of Ralstonia solanacearum is important, as it regulates the trade-off between virulence and metabolism (1, 2) in a wide range of plant hosts. Due to a lack of clear evidence until this work, several published research papers reported on the potential roles of glycolysis and the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (OxPPP) in R. solanacearum (3, 4). This work provided evidence from ¹³C stable isotope feeding and genome annotation-based comparative metabolic network analysis that the Entner-Doudoroff pathway and non-OxPPP bypass glycolysis and OxPPP during the oxidation of glucose, a component of the host xylem pool that serves as a potential carbon source (5). The outcomes help better define the central carbon metabolic network of R. solanacearum that can be integrated with ¹³C metabolic flux analysis as well as flux balance analysis studies for defining the metabolic phenotypes. The study highlights the need to critically examine phytopathogens whose metabolism is poorly understood.

Twitching and Swimming Motility Play a Role in Ralstonia solanacearum Pathogenicity

Twitching and swimming are two bacterial movements governed by pili and flagella. The present work identifies for the first time in the Gram-negative plant pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum a pilus-mediated chemotaxis pathway analogous to that governing flagellum-mediated chemotaxis. We show that regulatory genes in this pathway control all of the phenotypes related to pili, including twitching motility, natural transformation, and biofilm formation, and are also directly implicated in virulence, mainly during the first steps of the plant infection. Our results show that pili have a higher impact than flagella on the interaction of R. solanacearum with tomato plants and reveal new types of cross-talk between the swimming and twitching motility phenotypes: enhanced swimming in bacteria lacking pili and a role for the flagellum in root attachment.

Ralstonia solanacearum is a bacterial plant pathogen causing important economic losses worldwide. In addition to the polar flagella responsible for swimming motility, this pathogen produces type IV pili (TFP) that govern twitching motility, a flagellum-independent movement on solid surfaces. The implication of chemotaxis in plant colonization, through the control flagellar rotation by the proteins CheW and CheA, has been previously reported in R. solanacearum. In this work, we have identified in this bacterium homologues of the Pseudomonas aeruginosapilI and chpA genes, suggested to play roles in TFP-associated motility analogous to those played by the cheW and cheA genes, respectively. We demonstrate that R. solanacearum strains with a deletion of the pilI or the chpA coding region show normal swimming and chemotaxis but altered biofilm formation and reduced twitching motility, transformation efficiency, and root attachment. Furthermore, these mutants displayed wild-type growth in planta and impaired virulence on tomato plants after soil-drench inoculations but not when directly applied to the xylem. Comparison with deletion mutants for pilA and fliC—encoding the major pilin and flagellin subunits, respectively—showed that both twitching and swimming are required for plant colonization and full virulence. This work proves for the first time the functionality of a pilus-mediated pathway encoded by pil-chp genes in R. solanacearum, demonstrating that pilI and chpA genes are bona fide motility regulators controlling twitching motility and its three related phenotypes: virulence, natural transformation, and biofilm formation.

IMPORTANCE Twitching and swimming are two bacterial movements governed by pili and flagella. The present work identifies for the first time in the Gram-negative plant pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum a pilus-mediated chemotaxis pathway analogous to that governing flagellum-mediated chemotaxis. We show that regulatory genes in this pathway control all of the phenotypes related to pili, including twitching motility, natural transformation, and biofilm formation, and are also directly implicated in virulence, mainly during the first steps of the plant infection. Our results show that pili have a higher impact than flagella on the interaction of R. solanacearum with tomato plants and reveal new types of cross-talk between the swimming and twitching motility phenotypes: enhanced swimming in bacteria lacking pili and a role for the flagellum in root attachment.

Role of RpoN from Labrenzia aggregata LZB033 (Rhodobacteraceae) in Formation of Flagella and Biofilms, Motility, and Environmental Adaptation

Labrenzia aggregata LZB033 (Rhodobacteraceae), which produces dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and reduces nitrate to nitrogen, was isolated from seawater of the East China Sea. Its genome encodes a large number of transcriptional regulators which may be important for its adaptation to diverse marine environments. The alternative σ⁵⁴ factor (RpoN) is a central regulator of many bacteria, regulating the transcription of multiple genes and controlling important cellular functions. However, the exact role of RpoN in Labrenzia spp. is unknown. In this study, an in-frame rpoN deletion mutant was constructed in LZB033, and the function of RpoN was determined. To systematically identify RpoN-controlled genes, we performed a detailed analysis of gene expression differences between the wild-type strain and the ΔrpoN mutant using RNA sequencing. The expression of 175 genes was shown to be controlled by RpoN. Subsequent phenotypic assays showed that the ΔrpoN mutant was attenuated in flagellar biosynthesis and swimming motility, utilized up to 13 carbon substrates differently, lacked the ability to assimilate malic acid, and displayed markedly decreased biofilm formation. In addition, stress response assays showed that the ΔrpoN mutant was impaired in the ability to survive under different challenge conditions, including osmotic stress, oxidative stress, temperature changes, and acid stress. Moreover, both the DMSP synthesis and catabolism rates of LZB033 decreased after rpoN was knocked out. Our work provides essential insight into the regulatory function of RpoN, revealing that RpoN is a key determinant for LZB033 flagellar formation, motility, biofilm formation, and environmental fitness, as well as DMSP production and degradation.IMPORTANCE This study established an in-frame gene deletion method in the alphaproteobacterium Labrenzia aggregata LZB033 and generated an rpoN gene mutant. A comparison of the transcriptomes and phenotypic characteristics between the mutant and wild-type strains confirmed the role of RpoN in L. aggregata LZB033 flagellar formation, motility, biofilm formation, and carbon usage. Most importantly, RpoN is a key factor for survival under different environmental challenge conditions. Furthermore, the ability to synthesize and metabolize dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) was related to RpoN. These features revealed RpoN to be an important regulator of stress resistance and survival for L. aggregata LZB033 in marine environments.

Response regulator VemR regulates the transcription of flagellar rod gene flgG by interacting with σ54 factor RpoN2 in Xanthomonas citri ssp. citri

Xanthomonas citri ssp. citri, a polar flagellated bacterium, causes citrus canker disease worldwide. In this study, we found that the X. citri ssp. citri response regulator VemR plays a regulatory role in flagellum-derived cell motility. Deletion of the vemR gene resulted in a reduction in cell motility, as well as reductions in virulence and exopolysaccharide production. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) demonstrated that vemR is transcribed in an operon together with rpoN2 and fleQ. In the vemR mutant, the flagellar distal rod gene flgG was significantly down-regulated. Because flgG is also rpoN2 dependent, we speculated that VemR and RpoN2 physically interact, which was confirmed by yeast two-hybrid and maltose-binding protein (MBP) pull-down assays. This suggested that the transcription of flgG is synergistically controlled by VemR and RpoN2. To confirm this, we constructed a vemR and rpoN2 double mutant. In this mutant, the reductions in cell motility and flgG transcription were unable to be restored by the expression of either vemR or rpoN2 alone. In contrast, the expression of both vemR and rpoN2 together in the double mutant restored the wild-type phenotype. Together, our data demonstrate that the response regulator VemR functions as an RpoN2 cognate activator to positively regulate the transcription of the rod gene flgG in X. citri ssp. citri.

A practical random mutagenesis system for Ralstonia solanacearum strains causing bacterial wilt of Pogostemon cablin using Tn5 transposon

A practical random mutagenesis system of Ralstonia solanacearum by electroporation with Tn5 transposon was established, which may be utilized to provide genetic approach to study virulence genes of R. solanacearum strains and create nonpathogenic mutants for biological control of bacterial wilt in Pogostemon cablin. R. solanacearum strain PRS-84 used in this study was isolated from P. cablin plants infected with bacterial wilt. The bacterial suspension of R. solanacearum strain PRS-84 was mixed with Tn5 transposome complex and the mixture was transformed by electroporation. The electroporated cells were then spread on the 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride agar plates containing kanamycin to select the kanamycin-resistant colonies. Several factors which determined the bacterial transformation efficiency were optimized. The transformation process was shown to be optimal at the electric field strength of 12.5 kV cm^-1. Bacterial cells harvested at mid-exponential phase gave the highest transformation efficiency. 10 µg mL^-1 kanamycin was found to be the optimal concentration for transformant selection. Tn5 insertion mutants of R. solanacearum strain PRS-84 were identified by PCR amplification and Southern blot analysis. Mutants subcultured for 100 passages were also detected by PCR amplification and Southern blot analysis. Furthermore, pathogenicity screening test of mutants was performed by inoculating in vitro regenerated patchouli plants. Results revealed that mutants with a single Tn5 insertion in their genomes were obtained from R. solanacearum strain PRS-84, and the Tn5 insertion could be stably inherited in the mutants. Then, mutants with reduced pathogenicity were selected.

Root mediated uptake of Salmonella is different from phyto-pathogen and associated with the colonization of edible organs

BACKGROUND

Pre-harvest contamination of fruits and vegetables by Salmonella in fields is one of the causes of food-borne outbreaks. Natural openings like stomata, hydathodes and fruit cracks are known to serve as entry points. While there are reports indicating that Salmonella colonize and enter root through lateral root emerging area, further investigations regarding how the accessibility of Salmonella to lateral root is different from phyto-pathogenic bacteria, the efficacy of lateral root to facilitate entry have remained unexplored. In this study we attempted to investigate the lateral root mediated entry of Salmonella, and to bridge this gap in knowledge.

RESULTS

Unlike phytopathogens, Salmonella cannot utilize cellulose as the sole carbon source. This negates the fact of active entry by degrading plant cellulose and pectin. Endophytic Salmonella colonization showed a high correlation with number of lateral roots. When given equal opportunity to colonize the plants with high or low lateral roots, Salmonella internalization was found higher in the plants with more lateral roots. However, the epiphytic colonization in both these plants remained unaltered. To understand the ecological significance, we induced lateral root production by increasing soil salinity which made the plants susceptible to Salmonella invasion and the plants showed higher Salmonella burden in the aerial organs.

CONCLUSION

Salmonella, being unable to degrade plant cell wall material relies heavily on natural openings. Therefore, its invasion is highly dependent on the number of lateral roots which provides an entry point because of the epidermis remodeling. Thus, when number of lateral root was enhanced by increasing the soil salinity, plants became susceptible to Salmonella invasion in roots and its transmission to aerial organs.

A Short Protocol for Gene Knockout and Complementation in Xylella fastidiosa Shows that One of the Type IV Pilin Paralogs (PD1926) Is Needed for Twitching while Another (PD1924) Affects Pilus Number and Location

Twitching motility is one of the major virulence factors of the plant-pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, and it is mediated by type IV pili (TFP) that are present at one of the cell poles. Genome analysis of X. fastidiosa showed the presence of at least four paralogs of the gene pilA, which encodes the TFP major pilin subunit. However, whether all of these paralogs have a functional role in TFP structure and function is unknown. Here, using a short and reliable protocol based on overlap extension PCR and natural transformation, deletion mutants of two pilA paralogs (pilA1 PD1924 and pilA2 PD1926) were generated in two X. fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa strains, WM1-1 and TemeculaL, followed by assessment of twitching motility and biofilm formation. Deletion of pilA2 caused loss of twitching motility, whereas deletion of pilA1 did not influence twitching motility but caused hyperpiliation and extended distribution of TFP along the sides of the cell. Loss of twitching motility due to pilA2 deletion was restored when a wild-type copy of the pilA2 gene was added at a neutral site in the genome of mutants in both wild-type backgrounds. This study demonstrates that PCR templates generated by overlap extension PCR can be successfully used to rapidly generate gene knockouts and perform genetic complementation in X. fastidiosa, and that twitching motility in X. fastidiosa is controlled by regulating the transcription of the major pilin subunit, pilA2IMPORTANCE The bacterial plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa causes incurable diseases in multiple hosts, including grape, citrus, and blueberry. Historically restricted to the Americas, it was recently found to cause epidemics in olives in Italy and to infect other hosts in Europe and Asia. In this study, we report a short protocol to create deletion and complemented mutants using fusion PCR and natural transformation. We also determined the distinct function of two pilin paralogs, the main structural component of TFP involved in twitching motility, which allows this bacterium to move inside the xylem vessels against the flow. One of the paralogs is needed for twitching movement, whereas the other does not have an effect on motility but influences the number and position of TFP. Since twitching motility is fundamental for the virulence of this xylem-limited bacterium, this study contributes to the understanding of the regulation of virulence by this pathogen.

Systematic Functional Analysis of Sigma (σ) Factors in the Phytopathogen Xanthomonas campestris Reveals Novel Roles in the Regulation of Virulence and Viability

The black rot pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is a model organism for the study of plant bacterial pathogenesis mechanisms. In bacteria, σ factors serve as important regulatory elements that respond to various environmental signals and cues. Though Xcc encodes 15 putative σ factors little is known about their roles. As an approach to identify the potential role of each σ factor, we constructed mutations in each of the σ-factor genes as well as generating mutants deficient in multiple σ factors to assess these regulators potential additive functions. The work identified two σ⁷⁰ factors essential for growth. Furthermore, the work discovered a third σ⁷⁰ factor, RpoE1, important for virulence. Further studies revealed that RpoE1 positively regulates the expression of the hrp gene cluster that encodes the type III secretion system (T3SS) which determines the pathogenicity and hypersensitive response of Xcc on plants. In vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that RpoE1 could bind to the promoter region and promote transcription of hrpX, a gene encoding a key regulator of the hrp genes. Overall, this systematic analysis reveals important roles in Xcc survival and virulence for previously uncharacterized σ⁷⁰ factors that may become important targets for disease control.

How Ralstonia solanacearum Exploits and Thrives in the Flowing Plant Xylem Environment

The plant wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum thrives in the water-transporting xylem vessels of its host plants. Xylem is a relatively nutrient-poor, high-flow environment but R. solanacearum succeeds there by tuning its own metabolism and altering xylem sap biochemistry. Flow influences many traits that the bacterium requires for pathogenesis. Most notably, a quorum sensing system mediates the pathogen's major transition from a rapidly dividing early phase that voraciously consumes diverse food sources and avidly adheres to plant surfaces to a slower-growing late phase that can use fewer nutrients but produces virulence factors and disperses effectively. This review discusses recent findings about R. solanacearum pathogenesis in the context of its flowing in planta niche, with emphasis on R. solanacearum metabolism in plants.

Involvement of ralfuranones in the quorum sensing signalling pathway and virulence of Ralstonia solanacearum strain OE1-1

The soil-borne, plant-pathogenic Ralstonia solanacearum strain OE1-1 produces and secretes methyl 3-hydroxymyristate (3-OH MAME) as a quorum sensing (QS) signal, which contributes to its virulence. A global virulence regulator, PhcA, functioning through the QS system, positively regulates the expression of ralA, which encodes furanone synthase, to produce aryl-furanone secondary metabolites, ralfuranones. A ralfuranone-deficient mutant (ΔralA) is weakly virulent when directly inoculated into tomato xylem vessels. To investigate the functions of ralfuranones, we analysed R. solanacearum transcriptome data generated by RNA sequencing technology. ΔralA expressed phcB, which is associated with 3-OH MAME production, and phcA at levels similar to those in strain OE1-1. In addition, ΔralA exhibited down-regulated expression of more than 90% of the QS positively regulated genes, and up-regulated expression of more than 75% of the QS negatively regulated genes. These results suggest that ralfuranones affect the QS feedback loop. Ralfuranone supplementation restored the ability of ΔralA cells to aggregate. In addition, ralfuranones A and B restored the swimming motility of ΔralA to wild-type levels. However, the application of exogenous ralfuranones did not affect the production of the major exopolysaccharide, EPS I, in ΔralA. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assays revealed that the deletion of ralA results in the down-regulated expression of vsrAD and vsrBC, which encode a sensor kinase and a response regulator, respectively, in the two-component regulatory systems that influence EPS I production. The application of ralfuranone B restored the expression of these two genes. Overall, our findings indicate that integrated signalling via ralfuranones influences the QS and virulence of R. solanacearum.

RpoN (σ54) Is Required for Floc Formation but Not for Extracellular Polysaccharide Biosynthesis in a Floc-Forming Aquincola tertiaricarbonis Strain

Some bacteria are capable of forming flocs, in which bacterial cells become self-flocculated by secreted extracellular polysaccharides and other biopolymers. The floc-forming bacteria play a central role in activated sludge, which has been widely utilized for the treatment of municipal sewage and industrial wastewater. Here, we use a floc-forming bacterium, Aquincolatertiaricarbonis RN12, as a model to explore the biosynthesis of extracellular polysaccharides and the regulation of floc formation. A large gene cluster for exopolysaccharide biosynthesis and a gene encoding the alternative sigma factor RpoN1, one of the four paralogues, have been identified in floc formation-deficient mutants generated by transposon mutagenesis, and the gene functions have been further confirmed by genetic complementation analyses. Interestingly, the biosynthesis of exopolysaccharides remained in the rpoN1-disrupted flocculation-defective mutants, but most of the exopolysaccharides were secreted and released rather than bound to the cells. Furthermore, the expression of exopolysaccharide biosynthesis genes seemed not to be regulated by RpoN1. Taken together, our results indicate that RpoN1 may play a role in regulating the expression of a certain gene(s) involved in the self-flocculation of bacterial cells but not in the biosynthesis and secretion of exopolysaccharides required for floc formation.IMPORTANCE Floc formation confers bacterial resistance to predation of protozoa and plays a central role in the widely used activated sludge process. In this study, we not only identified a large gene cluster for biosynthesis of extracellular polysaccharides but also identified four rpoN paralogues, one of which (rpoN1) is required for floc formation in A. tertiaricarbonis RN12. In addition, this RpoN sigma factor regulates the transcription of genes involved in biofilm formation and swarming motility, as previously shown in other bacteria. However, this RpoN paralogue is not required for the biosynthesis of exopolysaccharides, which are released and dissolved into culture broth by the rpoN1 mutant rather than remaining tightly bound to cells, as observed during the flocculation of the wild-type strain. These results indicate that floc formation is a regulated complex process, and other yet-to-be identified RpoN1-dependent factors are involved in self-flocculation of bacterial cells via exopolysaccharides and/or other biopolymers.

Transcriptomes of Ralstonia solanacearum during Root Colonization of Solanum commersonii

Bacterial wilt of potatoes-also called brown rot-is a devastating disease caused by the vascular pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum that leads to significant yield loss. As in other plant-pathogen interactions, the first contacts established between the bacterium and the plant largely condition the disease outcome. Here, we studied the transcriptome of R. solanacearum UY031 early after infection in two accessions of the wild potato Solanum commersonii showing contrasting resistance to bacterial wilt. Total RNAs obtained from asymptomatic infected roots were deep sequenced and for 4,609 out of the 4,778 annotated genes in strain UY031 were recovered. Only 2 genes were differentially-expressed between the resistant and the susceptible plant accessions, suggesting that the bacterial component plays a minor role in the establishment of disease. On the contrary, 422 genes were differentially expressed (DE) in planta compared to growth on a synthetic rich medium. Only 73 of these genes had been previously identified as DE in a transcriptome of R. solanacearum extracted from infected tomato xylem vessels. Virulence determinants such as the Type Three Secretion System (T3SS) and its effector proteins, motility structures, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxifying enzymes were induced during infection of S. commersonii. On the contrary, metabolic activities were mostly repressed during early root colonization, with the notable exception of nitrogen metabolism, sulfate reduction and phosphate uptake. Several of the R. solanacearum genes identified as significantly up-regulated during infection had not been previously described as virulence factors. This is the first report describing the R. solanacearum transcriptome directly obtained from infected tissue and also the first to analyze bacterial gene expression in the roots, where plant infection takes place. We also demonstrate that the bacterial transcriptome in planta can be studied when pathogen numbers are low by sequencing transcripts from infected tissue avoiding prokaryotic RNA enrichment.

Defining the Metabolic Functions and Roles in Virulence of the rpoN1 and rpoN2 Genes in Ralstonia solanacearum GMI1000

The alternative sigma factor RpoN is a unique regulator found among bacteria. It controls numerous processes that range from basic metabolism to more complex functions such as motility and nitrogen fixation. Our current understanding of RpoN function is largely derived from studies on prototypical bacteria such as Escherichia coli. Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas putida. Although the extent and necessity of RpoN-dependent functions differ radically between these model organisms, each bacterium depends on a single chromosomal rpoN gene to meet the cellular demands of RpoN regulation. The bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum is often recognized for being the causative agent of wilt disease in crops, including banana, peanut and potato. However, this plant pathogen is also one of the few bacterial species whose genome possesses dual rpoN genes. To determine if the rpoN genes in this bacterium are genetically redundant and interchangeable, we constructed and characterized ΔrpoN1, ΔrpoN2 and ΔrpoN1 ΔrpoN2 mutants of R. solanacearum GMI1000. It was found that growth on a small range of metabolites, including dicarboxylates, ethanol, nitrate, ornithine, proline and xanthine, were dependent on only the rpoN1 gene. Furthermore, the rpoN1 gene was required for wilt disease on tomato whereas rpoN2 had no observable role in virulence or metabolism in R. solanacearum GMI1000. Interestingly, plasmid-based expression of rpoN2 did not fully rescue the metabolic deficiencies of the ΔrpoN1 mutants; full recovery was specific to rpoN1. In comparison, only rpoN2 was able to genetically complement a ΔrpoN E. coli mutant. These results demonstrate that the RpoN1 and RpoN2 proteins are not functionally equivalent or interchangeable in R. solanacearum GMI1000.