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Polymers Jul 2022In order to obtain a thermostable pectate lyase for ramie degumming, a rational design based on structural analysis was carried out on a novel pectate lyase (Pel419)...
In order to obtain a thermostable pectate lyase for ramie degumming, a rational design based on structural analysis was carried out on a novel pectate lyase (Pel419) derived from the DCE-01 for high-efficiency ramie degumming. A total of five potential amino acid sites were chosen to replace residues. Then, the mutant enzymes were subjected to the heterologous expressions in and their enzymatic characteristics were determined. The optimal reaction temperature for the five mutants kept consistent with that for the wild type. The enzyme activity and thermal stability of mutant V52A were significantly improved. Meanwhile, the weight loss rate obtained by V52A with the best enzymatic characteristics in the ramie degumming process at 50 °C is comparable with that obtained by commercial cotton-ramie processing pectinases, indicating that V52A was a potential industrial enzyme that could be applied to large-scale ramie degumming. In this study, the biological functions of conservative residues of Pel419 were preliminarily explored. The mutant V52A with both enzymatic activity and improved heat resistance was acquired, providing a superior material for developing enzyme preparations of ramie degumming, and rendering an effective method for the rational design aiming to improve the thermostability of pectate lyase.
PubMed: 35890653
DOI: 10.3390/polym14142878 -
Plant Disease Jun 2022Philodendrons are important foliage ornamentals planted worldwide (Chen et al. 2010). In November 2021, soft rot symptoms were observed on (now known as ; Sakuragui et...
Philodendrons are important foliage ornamentals planted worldwide (Chen et al. 2010). In November 2021, soft rot symptoms were observed on (now known as ; Sakuragui et al. 2018) grown in a nursery in Taichung, Taiwan. On symptomatic plants, the petioles were macerated; leaf lesions were also found on some plants (Figure S1). About 60% of the plants on site were symptomatic; these plants tended to cluster together. Four plants were sampled. Infected tissues were soaked and cut into pieces in 10 mM MgCl (using scalpels); undiluted samples were streak-plated onto nutrient agar (NA) and grown for 24 h at 28°C. Translucent, creamy-white colonies were isolated from all of the tissues examined, and 4 isolates, PHIL1 to PHIL4, were obtained (each from a different plant). All isolates exhibited typical phenotypes of bacteria belonging to ; they could cause maceration symptoms on potato slices, ferment glucose and produce phosphatase (Schaad et al. 2001); they could also produce indigoidine on NGM medium (NA added with glycerol and MnCl; Lee and Yu. 2006). Polymerase chain reactions using -specific primers 5A and 5B (Chao et al. 2006) amplified the expected amplicon in all 4 isolates. The 16S rDNA of PHIL1 to PHIL4 were amplified using primer pair 27f/1492r (Lane 1991) and the amplicons were sequenced; all 4 isolates shared the same 1,395-bp sequence (accession nos. ON203122, ON479664-ON479666). Among the strains belonging to known species (in GenBank), PHIL1 to PHIL4 shared the highest sequence identity (99.93%) with . 3937; they also shared 98.78% sequence identity with . CFBP 1269. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) targeting fragments of PHIL1 to PHIL4's A (720 bp), J (672 bp), X (450 bp), B (822 bp), and N (762 bp) genes (Marrero et al. 2013) were conducted. The five-gene concatenated sequences (3,426 bp) of the 4 isolates (accession nos. ON227444-ON227448, ON494509-ON494523) were identical. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis including these sequences and those of type strains of other known species revealed that PHIL1 to PHIL4 clustered with strains belonging to . (Figure S2). Koch's postulates were fulfilled with an inoculation test conducted on . (17 cm in aboveground height; 7-months-old). Stab inoculation using sterile toothpicks was conducted on petioles. Three plants were tested for each isolate and 2 petioles were inoculated for each plant; all 4 isolates were included in the assay. The pathogen loads inoculated were quantified by the spread plate method and were 3.22 - 4.81 x 10 colony forming units. Three plants were stabbed with bacteria-free toothpicks, serving as controls. All plants were bagged post inoculation and kept in a growth chamber (28°C; 14 h light). After 72 h, all of the inoculated petioles exhibited symptoms resembling those observed in the nursery. Bacteria were re-isolated from the symptomatic tissues (one isolate from each treatment), and all of their five-gene concatenated sequences were the same as those of PHIL1 to PHIL4. This is the first formal report of the occurrence of . infecting . in Taiwan. Studies have shown that . could affect other Araceae plants in Taiwan (Lee and Chen 2021). Since different Araceae ornamentals are often planted together in gardens and nurseries, growers should be aware of potential transmission of . among them.
PubMed: 35771110
DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-04-22-0924-PDN -
Nature Communications Jun 2022CRISPR SWAPnDROP extends the limits of genome editing to large-scale in-vivo DNA transfer between bacterial species. Its modular platform approach facilitates species...
CRISPR SWAPnDROP extends the limits of genome editing to large-scale in-vivo DNA transfer between bacterial species. Its modular platform approach facilitates species specific adaptation to confer genome editing in various species. In this study, we show the implementation of the CRISPR SWAPnDROP concept for the model organism Escherichia coli, the fast growing Vibrio natriegens and the plant pathogen Dickeya dadantii. We demonstrate the excision, transfer and integration of large chromosomal regions between E. coli, V. natriegens and D. dadantii without size-limiting intermediate DNA extraction. CRISPR SWAPnDROP also provides common genome editing approaches comprising scarless, marker-free, iterative and parallel insertions and deletions. The modular character facilitates DNA library applications, and recycling of standardized parts. Its multi-color scarless co-selection system significantly improves editing efficiency and provides visual quality controls throughout the assembly and editing process.
Topics: CRISPR-Cas Systems; DNA; Escherichia coli; Gene Editing; Genetic Therapy; Genome, Bacterial
PubMed: 35701417
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30843-1 -
MBio Jun 2022The phytopathogenic proteobacterium Dickeya dadantii secretes an array of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes and other virulence factors via the type 2 secretion system...
Scaffolding Protein GspB/OutB Facilitates Assembly of the Dickeya dadantii Type 2 Secretion System by Anchoring the Outer Membrane Secretin Pore to the Inner Membrane and to the Peptidoglycan Cell Wall.
The phytopathogenic proteobacterium Dickeya dadantii secretes an array of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes and other virulence factors via the type 2 secretion system (T2SS). T2SSs are widespread among important plant, animal, and human bacterial pathogens. This multiprotein complex spans the double membrane cell envelope and secretes fully folded proteins through a large outer membrane pore formed by 15 subunits of the secretin GspD. Secretins are also found in the type 3 secretion system and the type 4 pili. Usually, specialized lipoproteins termed pilotins assist the targeting and assembly of secretins into the outer membrane. Here, we show that in , the pilotin acts in concert with the scaffolding protein GspB. Deletion of profoundly impacts secretin assembly, pectinase secretion, and virulence. Structural studies reveal that GspB possesses a conserved periplasmic homology region domain that interacts directly with the N-terminal secretin domain. Site-specific photo-cross-linking unravels molecular details of the GspB-GspD complex . We show that GspB facilitates outer membrane targeting and assembly of the secretin pores and anchors them to the inner membrane while the C-terminal extension of GspB provides a scaffold for the secretin channel in the peptidoglycan cell wall. Phylogenetic analysis shows that in other bacteria, GspB homologs vary in length and domain composition and act in concert with either a cognate ATPase GspA or the pilotin GspS. Gram-negative bacteria have two cell membranes sandwiching a peptidoglycan net that together form a robust protective cell envelope. To translocate effector proteins across this multilayer envelope, bacteria have evolved several specialized secretion systems. In the type 2 secretion system and some other bacterial machineries, secretins form large multimeric pores that allow transport of effector proteins or filaments across the outer membrane. The secretins are essential for nutrient acquisition and pathogenicity and constitute a target for development of new antibacterials. Targeting of secretin subunits into the outer membrane is often facilitated by a special class of lipoproteins called pilotins. Here, we show that in and some other bacteria, the scaffolding protein GspB acts in concert with pilotin, facilitating the assembly of the secretin pore and its anchoring to both the inner membrane and the bacterial cell wall. GspB homologs of varied domain composition are present in many other T2SSs.
Topics: Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; Bacterial Proteins; Cell Wall; Dickeya; Enterobacteriaceae; Lipoproteins; Peptidoglycan; Phylogeny; Secretin; Type II Secretion Systems
PubMed: 35546537
DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00253-22 -
MBio Jun 2022Dickeya dadantii is a phytopathogenic bacterium that causes soft rot in a wide range of plant hosts worldwide and a model organism for studying virulence gene...
Dickeya dadantii is a phytopathogenic bacterium that causes soft rot in a wide range of plant hosts worldwide and a model organism for studying virulence gene regulation. The present study provides a comprehensive and annotated transcriptomic map of obtained by a computational method combining five independent transcriptomic data sets: (i) paired-end RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data for a precise reconstruction of the RNA landscape; (ii) DNA microarray data providing transcriptional responses to a broad variety of environmental conditions; (iii) long-read Nanopore native RNA-seq data for isoform-level transcriptome validation and determination of transcription termination sites; (iv) differential RNA sequencing (dRNA-seq) data for the precise mapping of transcription start sites; (v) DNA microarray data for a comparison of gene expression profiles between experiments and the early stages of plant infection. Our results show that transcription units sometimes coincide with predicted operons but are generally longer, most of them comprising internal promoters and terminators that generate alternative transcripts of variable gene composition. We characterize the occurrence of transcriptional read-through at terminators, which might play a basal regulation role and explain the extent of transcription beyond the scale of operons. We finally highlight the presence of noncontiguous operons and excludons in the genome, novel genomic arrangements that might contribute to the basal coordination of transcription. The highlighted transcriptional organization may allow to finely adjust its gene expression program for a rapid adaptation to fast-changing environments. This is the first transcriptomic map of a species. It may therefore significantly contribute to further progress in the field of phytopathogenicity. It is also one of the first reported applications of long-read Nanopore native RNA-seq in prokaryotes. Our findings yield insights into basal rules of coordination of transcription that might be valid for other bacteria and may raise interest in the field of microbiology in general. In particular, we demonstrate that gene expression is coordinated at the scale of transcription units rather than operons, which are larger functional genomic units capable of generating transcripts with variable gene composition for a fine-tuning of gene expression in response to environmental changes. In line with recent studies, our findings indicate that the canonical operon model is insufficient to explain the complexity of bacterial transcriptomes.
Topics: Bacteria; Dickeya; Enterobacteriaceae; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
PubMed: 35491820
DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00524-22 -
Biomeditsinskaia Khimiia Apr 2022Asparaginase is one of the most important chemotherapeutic agents against acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of blood cancer. To date, both asparaginases... (Review)
Review
Asparaginase is one of the most important chemotherapeutic agents against acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of blood cancer. To date, both asparaginases from E. coli and Dickeya dadantii (formerly known as Erwinia chrysanthemi), used in hematology, induce chemoresistance in cancer cells and side effects in the form of hypersensitivity of immune reactions. Leukemic cells may be resistant to asparaginase due to the increased activity of asparagine synthetase and other mechanisms associated with resistance to asparaginase. Therefore, the search for new sources of L-asparaginases with improved pharmacological properties remains a promising and prospective study. This article discusses the mechanisms of development of resistance and drug resistance to L-asparaginase, as well as possible ways to overcome them.
Topics: Asparaginase; Drug Resistance; Escherichia coli; Humans; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 35485484
DOI: 10.18097/PBMC20226802104 -
Biomolecular NMR Assignments Oct 2022The ability to interact and adapt to the surrounding environment is vital for bacteria that colonise various niches and organisms. One strategy developed by...
The ability to interact and adapt to the surrounding environment is vital for bacteria that colonise various niches and organisms. One strategy developed by Gram-negative bacteria is to secrete exoprotein substrates via the type II secretion system (T2SS). The T2SS is a proteinaceous complex spanning the bacterial envelope that translocates folded proteins such as toxins and enzymes from the periplasm to the extracellular milieu. In the T2SS, a cytoplasmic ATPase elongates in the periplasm the pseudopilus, a non-covalent polymer composed of protein subunits named pseudopilins, and anchored in the inner membrane by a transmembrane helix. The pseudopilus polymerisation is coupled to the secretion of substrates. The T2SS of Dickeya dadantii secretes more than 15 substrates, essentially plant cell wall degrading enzymes. In D. dadantii, the major pseudopilin or the major subunit of the pseudopilus is called OutG. To better understand the mechanism of secretion of these numerous substrates via the pseudopilus, we have been studying the structure of OutG by NMR. Here, as the first part of this study, we report the H, N and C backbone and sidechain chemical shift assignment of the periplasmic domain of OutG and its NMR derived secondary structure.
Topics: Adenosine Triphosphatases; Bacterial Proteins; Dickeya; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; Periplasm; Polymers; Protein Binding; Protein Subunits; Type II Secretion Systems
PubMed: 35482172
DOI: 10.1007/s12104-022-10085-4 -
Molecular Plant Pathology Aug 2022Bacteria use signal transduction systems to sense and respond to their external environment. The two-component system CpxA/CpxR senses misfolded envelope protein stress...
Bacteria use signal transduction systems to sense and respond to their external environment. The two-component system CpxA/CpxR senses misfolded envelope protein stress and responds by up-regulating envelope protein factors and down-regulating virulence factors in several animal pathogens. Dickeya dadantii is a phytopathogen equipped with a type III secretion system (T3SS) for manipulating the host immune response. We found that deletion of cpxR enhanced the expression of the T3SS marker gene hrpA in a designated T3SS-inducing minimal medium (MM). In the ∆cpxR mutant, multiple T3SS and c-di-GMP regulators were also up-regulated. Subsequent analysis revealed that deletion of the phosphodiesterase gene egcpB in ∆cpxR abolished the enhanced T3SS expression. This suggested that CpxR suppresses EGcpB levels, causing low T3SS expression in MM. Furthermore, we found that the ∆cpxR mutant displayed low c-di-GMP phenotypes in biofilm formation and swimming. Increased production of cellular c-di-GMP by in trans expression of the diguanylate cyclase gene gcpA was negated in the ∆cpxR mutant. Here, we propose that CpxA/CpxR regulates T3SS expression by manipulating the c-di-GMP network, in turn modifying the multiple physiological activities involved in the response to environmental stresses in D. dadantii.
Topics: Bacterial Proteins; Cyclic GMP; Dickeya; Enterobacteriaceae; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Virulence
PubMed: 35460168
DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13219 -
PloS One 2022Dickeya are plant pathogenic bacteria able to provoke disease on a wide range of plants. A type 2 secretion system (T2SS) named Out is necessary for Dickeya virulence....
Dickeya are plant pathogenic bacteria able to provoke disease on a wide range of plants. A type 2 secretion system (T2SS) named Out is necessary for Dickeya virulence. Previous studies showed that the D. dadantii T2SS secretes a wide range of plant cell wall degrading enzymes, including pectinases and a cellulase. However, the full repertoire of exoproteins it can secrete has probably not yet been identified. Secreted proteins possess a signal peptide and are first addressed to the periplasm before their recruitment by Out. T2SS-specific secretion signals remain unknown which prevents in silico identification of T2SS substrates. To identify new Out substrates, we analyzed D. dadantii transcriptome data obtained in plant infection condition and searched for genes strongly induced and encoding proteins with a signal sequence. We identified four new Out-secreted proteins: the expansin YoaJ, the putative virulence factor VirK and two proteins of the DUF 4879 family, SvfA and SvfB. We showed that SvfA and SvfB are required for full virulence of D. dadantii and that svf genes are present in a variable number of copies in other Pectobacteriaceae, up to three in D. fanghzongdai. This work opens the way to the study of the role of non-pectinolytic proteins secreted by the Out pathway in Pectobacteriaceae.
Topics: Bacterial Proteins; Dickeya; Enterobacteriaceae; Gammaproteobacteria; Plant Diseases; Type II Secretion Systems; Virulence Factors
PubMed: 35417462
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265075 -
Microbiology Spectrum Apr 2022Dickeya dadantii is a phytopathogenic bacterium that causes diseases on a wide range of host plants. The pathogen secretes pectate lyases (Pel) through the type II...
Dickeya dadantii is a phytopathogenic bacterium that causes diseases on a wide range of host plants. The pathogen secretes pectate lyases (Pel) through the type II secretion system (T2SS) that degrades the cell wall in host plants. The virulence of is controlled by the second messenger cyclic diguanylate monophosphate (c-di-GMP), and the homeostasis of c-di-GMP is maintained by a number of diguanylate cyclases and phosphodiesterases. Deletion of a phosphodiesterase repressed transcription, and such repression can be suppressed by an additional deletion in . VfmE is an AraC type of transcriptional regulator in the Vfm quorum-sensing system. Our results suggest that VfmE is a c-di-GMP effector that functions as an activator of at low c-di-GMP concentrations and a repressor of at high c-di-GMP concentrations through regulation of the transcriptional activator SlyA. Multiple sequence alignment with known c-di-GMP effectors identified an RWIWR motif in VfmE that we demonstrate is required for the c-di-GMP binding. Mutation of R93D in the RxxxR motif eliminates the c-di-GMP-related phenotypes in Pel activity. Our results show that VfmE is not only a quorum-sensing regulator but also a c-di-GMP effector, suggesting that integrates the c-di-GMP signaling network with the Vfm quorum-sensing pathway during environmental adaptation. How bacteria integrate environmental cues from multiple sources to appropriately regulate adaptive phenotypes is a central question in microbiology. In Dickeya dadantii, the quorum-sensing regulator VfmE controls the key virulence factor pectate lyase (Pel). Here, we demonstrate that VfmE also binds to c-di-GMP, resulting in VfmE functioning as an activator of at low c-di-GMP concentrations and repressor of at high c-di-GMP concentrations. The RWIWR motif in VfmE is required for c-di-GMP binding, and mutation of the motif in the mutant R93D eliminates the c-di-GMP-related phenotypes in Pel activity. We propose that VfmE is an important mediator to integrate quorum-sensing signals with c-di-GMP to collectively regulate pathogenesis.
Topics: Bacterial Proteins; Cyclic GMP; Dickeya; Enterobacteriaceae; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Polysaccharide-Lyases
PubMed: 35352959
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01805-21