Genomic plasticity enables phenotypic variation of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000

Whole genome sequencing revealed the presence of a genomic anomaly in the region of 4.7 to 4.9 Mb of the Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000 genome. The average read depth coverage of Pst DC3000 whole genome sequencing results suggested that a 165 kb segment of the chromosome had doubled in copy number. Further analysis confirmed the 165 kb duplication and that the two copies were arranged as a direct tandem repeat. Examination of the corresponding locus in Pst NCPPB1106, the parent strain of Pst DC3000, suggested that the 165 kb duplication most likely formed after the two strains diverged via transposition of an ISPsy5 insertion sequence (IS) followed by unequal crossing over between ISPsy5 elements at each end of the duplicated region. Deletion of one copy of the 165 kb region demonstrated that the duplication facilitated enhanced growth in some culture conditions, but did not affect pathogenic growth in host tomato plants. These types of chromosomal structures are predicted to be unstable and we have observed resolution of the 165 kb duplication to single copy and its subsequent re-duplication. These data demonstrate the role of IS elements in recombination events that facilitate genomic reorganization in P. syringae.

Characterization of five ECF sigma factors in the genome of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B728a

Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B728a, a bacterial pathogen of bean, utilizes large surface populations and extracellular signaling to initiate a fundamental change from an epiphytic to a pathogenic lifestyle. Extracytoplasmic function (ECF) sigma (σ) factors serve as important regulatory factors in responding to various environmental signals. Bioinformatic analysis of the B728a genome revealed 10 ECF sigma factors. This study analyzed deletion mutants of five previously uncharacterized ECF sigma factor genes in B728a, including three FecI-type ECF sigma factors (ECF5, ECF6, and ECF7) and two ECF sigma factors placed in groups ECF11 and ECF18. Transcriptional profiling by qRT-PCR analysis of ECF sigma factor mutants was used to measure expression of their associated anti-sigma and outer membrane receptor proteins, and expression of genes associated with production of extracellular polysaccharides, fimbriae, glycine betaine and syringomycin. Notably, the B728aΔecf7 mutant displayed reduced swarming and had decreased expression of CupC fimbrial genes. Growth and pathogenicity assays, using a susceptible bean host, revealed that none of the tested sigma factor genes are required for in planta growth and lesion formation.

Confocal imaging of Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola colony development in bean reveals reduced multiplication of strains containing the genomic island PPHGI-1

Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola is the seed borne causative agent of halo blight in the common bean Phaseolus vulgaris. Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola race 4 strain 1302A contains the avirulence gene hopAR1 (located on a 106-kb genomic island, PPHGI-1, and earlier named avrPphB), which matches resistance gene R3 in P. vulgaris cultivar Tendergreen (TG) and causes a rapid hypersensitive reaction (HR). Here, we have fluorescently labeled selected Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola 1302A and 1448A strains (with and without PPHGI-1) to enable confocal imaging of in-planta colony formation within the apoplast of resistant (TG) and susceptible (Canadian Wonder [CW]) P. vulgaris leaves. Temporal quantification of fluorescent Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola colony development correlated with in-planta bacterial multiplication (measured as CFU/ml) and is, therefore, an effective means of monitoring Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola endophytic colonization and survival in P. vulgaris. We present advances in the application of confocal microscopy for in-planta visualization of Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola colony development in the leaf mesophyll to show how the HR defense response greatly affects colony morphology and bacterial survival. Unexpectedly, the presence of PPHGI-1 was found to cause a reduction of colony development in susceptible P. vulgaris CW leaf tissue. We discuss the evolutionary consequences that the acquisition and retention of PPHGI-1 brings to Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola in planta.

Negative regulation of the Hrp type III secretion system in Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola

Many plant-pathogenic bacteria require type III secretion systems (T3SS) to cause disease in compatible hosts and to induce the hypersensitive response in resistant plants. T3SS gene expression is induced within the plant and responds to host and environmental factors. In Pseudomonas syringae, expression is downregulated by the Lon protease in rich medium and by HrpV under inducing conditions. HrpV acts as an anti-activator by binding HrpS. HrpG, which can also bind HrpV, has been reported to act as an anti-anti-activator. Previous studies have used mostly in vitro inducing conditions, different pathovars, and methodology. We have used single and double lon and hrpV mutants of P. syringae pv. phaseolicola 1448a, as well as strains ectopically expressing the regulators, to examine their role in coordinating expression of the T3SS. We applied real-time polymerase chain reaction to analyze gene expression both in vitro and in planta, and assessed bacterial fitness using competitive indices. Our results indicate that i) Lon downregulates expression of the hrp/hrc genes in all conditions, probably by constitutively degrading naturally unstable HrpR; ii) HrpV and HrpT downregulate expression of the hrp/hrc genes in all conditions; and iii) HrpG has an additional, HrpV-independent role, regulating expression of the hrpC operon.

Measuring cell-wall-based defenses and their effect on bacterial growth in Arabidopsis

Plants are resistant to most potentially pathogenic microbes. Frequently, resistance results from defenses activated upon recognition of "non-self." Invasion of a variety of pathogens, including Gram-negative bacteria, into plants is betrayed by the presence of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Plants challenged by a non-pathogenic bacterial strain or a purified PAMP often form cell wall modifications called papillae. These cell wall thickenings, which can be observed in the electron microscope, can more easily be visualized by staining for the component molecule callose and using fluorescent microscopy. We describe a method to measure callose following infiltration of leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana, a model organism for basic and applied research on plant biology, with pathogenic and non-pathogenic strains of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato or a purified bacterial PAMP. We also detail a method to measure the growth of bacteria infiltrated into leaves of Arabidopsis. These methods can be used to understand the interactions between pathogen and host plant.

The Tat pathway of the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae is required for optimal virulence

Pseudomonas syringae is a gram-negative bacterium that infects a number of agriculturally important plant species. The ability of the organism to deliver virulence factors across the plant cell wall is a key to its pathogenicity. Deletion mutants in the twin arginine translocation (Tat) pathway of two pathovars of P. syringae, pvs. tomato DC3000 and maculicola ES4326, displayed a range of pleiotropic phenotypic changes, such as defects in fluorescent siderophore production, a decrease in sodium dodecyl sulfate and copper resistance, and a significant loss in fitness using Arabidopsis thaliana or tomato as plant hosts. The genome sequence of P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000 encodes a number of potential virulence factors that are predicted to be translocated via the Tat pathway, including several proteins involved in iron scavenging (two siderophore receptors, PSPTO3474 and PSPTO3294, and an aminotransferase, PSPTO2155, involved in siderophore biosynthesis). Further candidates for Tat-dependent pathogenicity determinants include the homologs of a cell wall amidase (PSPTO5528), an enzyme involved in periplasmic glucans biosynthesis (PSPTO5542), and two putative phospholipases (PSPTO3648 and PSPTOB0005). Translocation of the putative amidase, aminotransferase, glucans biosynthetic enzyme, and the two phospholipases, but not the two siderophore receptors, is shown to be dependent on the Tat pathway. Strains deleted for the genes encoding the probable aminotransferase and amidase enzymes are significantly less infectious than the wild type. We conclude that the incremental effects due to the failure to correctly localize at least two, and possibly more, Tat substrates gives rise to the attenuated fitness phenotype of the P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000 tat strain.

A surface modification strategy on silicon nitride for developing biosensors

A surface modification strategy for the use of giant magnetoresistive materials in the detection of protein-protein interactions is developed. This modification strategy is based on silanization of semiconductive materials. A native silicon nitride surface was treated with concentrated hydrofluoric acid to improve surface homogeneity. Nano-strip was used to oxidize silicon nitride to form a hydrophilic layer. Aminopropyltriethoxysilane was subsequently used to functionalize the treated surfaces to form amine groups, which were further activated with glutaraldehyde to introduce a layer of aldehyde groups. The effectiveness of this modification strategy was validated by chemiluminescence immunoassays of purified 6x His-HrpW of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 and human transferrin. Signals with intensities related to concentrations of these two immobilized model proteins were observed. The modified surface was also validated by a more complex system: intercellular proteins secreted by DC3000. HrpW in these protein mixtures was successfully recognized by anti-HrpW antibodies when mixed proteins were immobilized onto activated surfaces. This surface modification strategy provides a platform onto which proteins can be directly immobilized for biosensor and protein array applications.

RecD plays an essential function during growth at low temperature in the antarctic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae Lz4W

The Antarctic psychrotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae Lz4W has been used as a model system to identify genes that are required for growth at low temperature. Transposon mutagenesis was carried out to isolate mutant(s) of the bacterium that are defective for growth at 4 degrees but normal at 22 degrees . In one such cold-sensitive mutant (CS1), the transposon-disrupted gene was identified to be a homolog of the recD gene of several bacteria. Trans-complementation and freshly targeted gene disruption studies reconfirmed that the inactivation of the recD gene leads to a cold-sensitive phenotype. We cloned, sequenced, and analyzed approximately 11.2 kbp of DNA from recD and its flanking region from the bacterium. recD was the last gene of a putative recCBD operon. The RecD ORF was 694 amino acids long and 40% identical (52% similar) to the Escherichia coli protein, and it could complement the E. coli recD mutation. The recD gene of E. coli, however, could not complement the cold-sensitive phenotype of the CS1 mutant. Interestingly, the CS1 strain showed greater sensitivity toward the DNA-damaging agents, mitomycin C and UV. The inactivation of recD in P. syringae also led to cell death and accumulation of DNA fragments of approximately 25-30 kbp in size at low temperature (4 degrees ). We propose that during growth at a very low temperature the Antarctic P. syringae is subjected to DNA damage, which requires direct participation of a unique RecD function. Additional results suggest that a truncated recD encoding the N-terminal segment of (1-576) amino acids is sufficient to support growth of P. syringae at low temperature.

Differential survival of solitary and aggregated bacterial cells promotes aggregate formation on leaf surfaces

The survival of individual Pseudomonas syringae cells was determined on bean leaf surfaces maintained under humid conditions or periodically exposed to desiccation stress. Cells of P. syringae strain B728a harboring a GFP marker gene were visualized by epifluorescence microscopy, either directly in situ or after recovery from leaves, and dead cells were identified as those that were stained with propidium iodide in such populations. Under moist, conducive conditions on plants, the proportion of total live cells was always high, irrespective of their aggregated state. In contrast, the proportion of the total cells that remained alive on leaves that were periodically exposed to desiccation stress decreased through time and was only approximately 15% after 5 days. However, the fraction of cells in large aggregates that were alive on such plants in both condition was much higher than more solitary cells. Immediately after inoculation, cells were randomly distributed over the leaf surface and no aggregates were observed. However, a very aggregated pattern of colonization was apparent within 7 days, and >90% of the living cells were located in aggregates of 100 cells or more. Our results strongly suggest that, although conducive conditions favor aggregate formation, such cells are much more capable of tolerating environmental stresses, and the preferential survival of cells in aggregates promotes a highly clustered spatial distribution of bacteria on leaf surfaces.