Role of an in planta-expressed xylanase of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae in promoting virulence on rice

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae is the causal agent of bacterial leaf blight, a serious disease of rice. We demonstrated earlier that the type II secretion system (T2S) is important for virulence of X. oryzae pv. oryzae and that several proteins, including a xylanase, are secreted through this system. In this study, the xynB gene encoding for the secreted xylanase was cloned as a 6.9-kb EcoRI fragment (pRR7) that also included a paralog called xynA. As in X. oryzae pv. oryzae, xynA and xynB are adjacent to each other in X. axonopodis pv. citri, whereas only the xynA homolog is present in X. campestris pv. campestris. Mutations in xynB but not xynA affect secreted xylanase activity. Western blot analysis using anti-XynB antibodies on exudates from infected rice leaves indicated that this xylanase is expressed during in planta growth. Another T2S-secreted protein was identified to be a lipase/esterase (LipA) based on the sequence tags obtained by tandem mass spectrometry analysis and biochemical assays. Mutations in either xynB or lipA partially affected virulence. However, a lipA-xynB double mutant was significantly reduced for virulence, and the pRR7 clone containing an intact xynB gene could complement the virulence-deficient phenotype of the lipA-xynB mutant. Our results suggest that there is functional redundancy among the T2S secreted proteins of X. oryzae pv. oryzae in promoting virulence on rice.     

Characterization of the hrpF pathogenicity peninsula of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

The hrp gene cluster of Xanthomonas spp. contains genes for the assembly and function of a type III secretion system (TTSS). The hrpF genes reside in a region between hpaB and the right end of the hrp cluster. The region of the hrpF gene of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae is bounded by two IS elements and also contains a homolog of hpaF of X. campestris pv. vesicatoria and two newly identified genes, hpa3 and hpa4. A comparison of the hrp gene clusters of different species of Xanthomonas revealed that the hrpF region is a constant yet more variable peninsula of the hrp pathogenicity island. Mutations in hpaF, hpa3, and hpa4 had no effect on virulence, whereas hrpF mutants were severely reduced in virulence on susceptible rice cultivars. The hrpF genes from X. campestris pv. vesicatoria, X. campestris pv. campestris, and X. axonopodis pv. citri each were capable of restoring virulence to the hrpF mutant of X. oryzae pv. oryzae. Correspondingly, none of the Xanthomonas pathovars with hrpF from X. oryzae pv. oryzae elicited a hypersensitive reaction in their respective hosts. Therefore, no evidence was found for hrpF as a host-specialization factor. In contrast to the loss of Bs3-dependent reactions by hrpF mutants of X. campestris pv. vesicatoria, hrpF mutants of X. oryzae pv. oryzae with either avrXa10 or avrXa7 elicited hypersensitive reactions in rice cultivars with the corresponding R genes. A double hrpFxoo-hpa1 mutant also elicited an Xa10-dependent resistance reaction. Thus, loss of hrpF, hpal, or both may reduce delivery or effectiveness of type III effectors. However, the mutations did not completely prevent the delivery of effectors from X. oryzae pv. oryzae into the host cells.     

Ketoglutarate transport protein KgtP is secreted through the type III secretion system and contributes to virulence in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

The phytopathogenic prokaryote Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae is the causal agent of bacterial leaf blight (BB) of rice and utilizes a type III secretion system (T3SS) to deliver T3SS effectors into rice cells. In this report, we show that the ketoglutarate transport protein (KgtP) is secreted in an HpaB-independent manner through the T3SS of X. oryzae pv. oryzae PXO99(A) and localizes to the host cell membrane for α-ketoglutaric acid export. kgtP contained an imperfect PIP box (plant-inducible promoter) in the promoter region and was positively regulated by HrpX and HrpG. A kgtP deletion mutant was impaired in bacterial virulence and growth in planta; furthermore, the mutant showed reduced growth in minimal media containing α-ketoglutaric acid or sodium succinate as the sole carbon source. The reduced virulence and the deficiency in α-ketoglutaric acid utilization by the kgtP mutant were restored to wild-type levels by the presence of kgtP in trans. The expression of OsIDH, which is responsible for the synthesis of α-ketoglutaric acid in rice, was enhanced when KgtP was present in the pathogen. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that KgtP, which is regulated by HrpG and HrpX and secreted by the T3SS in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, transports α-ketoglutaric acid when the pathogen infects rice.     

Functional analysis of the aroC gene encoding chorismate synthase from Xanthomonas oryzae pathovar oryzae

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae causes bacterial blight in rice, and this bacterial blight has been widely found in the major rice-growing areas. We constructed a transposon mutagenesis library of X. oryzae pv. oryzae and identified a mutant strain (KXOM9) that is deficient for pigment production and virulence. Furthermore, the KXOM9 mutant was unable to grow in minimal medium lacking aromatic amino acids. Thermal asymmetric interlaced-PCR and sequence analysis of KXOM9 revealed that the transposon was inserted into the aroC gene, which encodes a chorismate synthase in various bacterial pathogens. In planta growth assays revealed that bacterial growth of the KXOM9 mutant in rice leaves was severely reduced. Genetic complementation of this mutant with a 7.9-kb fragment containing aroC restored virulence, pigmentation, and prototrophy. These results suggest that the aroC gene plays a crucial role in the growth, attenuation of virulence, and pigment production of X. oryzae pv. oryzae.     

Inhibition of resistance gene-mediated defense in rice by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae and the closely related X. oryzae pv. oryzicola cause bacterial blight and bacterial leaf streak of rice, respectively. Although many rice resistance (R) genes and some corresponding avirulence (avr) genes have been characterized for bacterial blight, no endogenous avr/R gene interactions have been identified for leaf streak. Genes avrXa7 and avrXa10 from X. oryzae pv. oryzae failed to elicit the plant defense-associated hypersensitive reaction (HR) and failed to prevent development of leaf streak in rice cultivars with the corresponding R genes after introduction into X. oryzae pv. oryzicola despite the ability of this pathovar to deliver an AvrXa10:Cya fusion protein into rice cells. Furthermore, coinoculation of X. oryzae pv. oryzicola inhibited the HR of rice cultivar IRBB10 to X. oryzae pv. oryzae carrying avrXa10. Inhibition was quantitative and dependent on the type III secretion system of X. oryzae pv. oryzicola. The results suggest that one or more X. oryzae pv. oryzicola type III effectors interfere with avr/R gene-mediated recognition or signaling and subsequent defense response in the host. Inhibition of R gene-mediated defense by X. oryzae pv. oryzicola may explain, in part, the apparent lack of major gene resistance to leaf streak.     

Growth deficiency of a Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae fur mutant in rice leaves is rescued by ascorbic acid supplementation

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae causes bacterial leaf blight, a serious disease of rice. A mutation was isolated in the ferric uptake regulator (fur) gene of X. oryzae pv. oryzae and it was shown to result in the production of siderophores in a constitutive manner. The fur mutant is hypersensitive to the metallo-antibiotic streptonigrin, a phenotype that is indicative of intracellular free-iron overload, and also exhibits a slow growth phenotype on rich medium. The fur mutant is virulence deficient, hypersensitive to hydrogen peroxide, and exhibits reduced catalase activity. Exogenous supplementation with ascorbic acid (an antioxidant) rescues the growth deficiency of the fur mutant in rice leaves. The virulence deficiency of the X. oryzae pv. oryzae fur mutant is proposed to be due, at least in part, to an impaired ability to cope with the oxidative stress conditions that are encountered during infection.     

rpfF mutants of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae are deficient for virulence and growth under low iron conditions

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae causes bacterial leaf blight, a serious disease of rice. In the related bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, the rpfF gene is involved in production of a diffusible extracellular factor (DSF) that positively regulates synthesis of virulence-associated functions like extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) and extracellular enzymes. Transposon insertions in the rpfF homolog of X. oryzae pv. oryzae are deficient for virulence and production of a DSF but are proficient for EPS and extracellular enzyme production. The rpfF X. oryzae pv. oryzae mutants exhibit an unusual tetracycline susceptibility phenotype in which exogenous iron supplementation is required for phenotypic expression of a tetracycline resistance determinant that is encoded on an introduced plasmid. The rpfF X. oryzae pv. oryzae mutants also overproduce one or more siderophores and exhibit a growth deficiency under low iron conditions as well as in the presence of reducing agents that are expected to promote the conversion of Fe+3 to Fe+2. Exogenous iron supplementation promotes migration of rpfF X. oryzae pv. oryzae mutants in rice leaves. The results suggest that rpfF may be involved in controlling an iron-uptake system of X. oryzae pv. oryzae and that an inability to cope with the conditions of low iron availability in the host may be the reason for the virulence deficiency of the rpfF X. oryzae pv. oryzae mutants.     

XopR, a type III effector secreted by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, suppresses microbe-associated molecular pattern-triggered immunity in Arabidopsis thaliana

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae is the causal agent of bacterial blight of rice. The XopR protein, secreted into plant cells through the type III secretion apparatus, is widely conserved in xanthomonads and is predicted to play important roles in bacterial pathogenicity. Here, we examined the function of XopR by constructing transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants expressing it under control of the dexamethasone (DEX)-inducible promoter. In the transgenic plants treated with DEX, slightly delayed growth and variegation on leaves were observed. Induction of four microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP)-specific early-defense genes by a nonpathogenic X. campestris pv. campestris hrcC deletion mutant were strongly suppressed in the XopR-expressing plants. XopR expression also reduced the deposition of callose, an immune response induced by flg22. When transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana, a XopR::Citrine fusion gene product localized to the plasma membrane. The deletion of XopR in X. oryzae pv. oryzae resulted in reduced pathogenicity on host rice plants. Collectively, these results suggest that XopR inhibits basal defense responses in plants rapidly after MAMP recognition.     

Molecular determinants of disease and resistance in interactions of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae and rice

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae is the causal agent of rice bacterial blight disease. Numerous genes critical for virulence have been identified. This article reviews current knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of X. oryzae pv. oryzae virulence.     

Pigment and virulence deficiencies associated with mutations in the aroE gene of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

Xanthomonadins are yellow, membrane-bound pigments produced by members of the genus Xanthomonas. We identified an ethyl methanesulfonate-induced Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae mutant (BXO65) that is deficient for xanthomonadin production and virulence on rice, as well as auxotrophic for aromatic amino acids (Pig(-) Vir(-) Aro(-)). Reversion analysis indicated that these multiple phenotypes are due to a single mutation. A genomic library of the wild-type strain was used to isolate a 7.0-kb clone that complements BXO65. By transposon mutagenesis, marker exchange, sequence analysis, and subcloning, the complementing activity was localized to a 849-bp open reading frame (ORF). This ORF is homologous to the aroE gene, which encodes shikimate dehydrogenase in various bacterial species. Shikimate dehydrogenase activity was present in the wild-type strain and the mutant with the complementing clone, whereas no activity was found in BXO65. This clone also complemented an Escherichia coli aroE mutant for prototrophy, indicating that aroE is functionally conserved in X. oryzae pv. oryzae and E. coli. The nucleotide sequence of the 2.9-kb region containing aroE revealed that a putative DNA helicase gene is located adjacent to aroE. Our results indicate that aroE is required for normal levels of virulence and xanthomonadin production in X. oryzae pv. oryzae.     

Virulence deficiency caused by a transposon insertion in the purH gene of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae causes bacterial leaf blight, a serious disease of rice. We have identified a Tn5-induced virulence-deficient mutant (BXO1704) of X. oryzae pv. oryzae. The BXO1704 mutant exhibited growth deficiency in minimal medium but was proficient in inducing a hypersensitive response in a non-host tomato plant. Sequence analysis of the chromosomal DNA flanking the Tn5 insertion indicated that the Tn5 insertion is in the purH gene, which is highly homologous to purH genes of other closely related plant pathogenic bacteria Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri and Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. Purine supplementation reversed the growth deficiency of BXO1704 in minimal medium. These results suggest that the virulence deficiency of BXO1704 may be due to the inability to use sufficient purine in the host.     

Role of the FnIII domain associated with a cell wall-degrading enzyme cellobiosidase of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

Cellobiosidase (CbsA) is an important secreted virulence factor of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), which causes bacterial blight of rice. CbsA is one of several cell wall-degrading enzymes secreted by Xoo via the type II secretion system (T2SS). CbsA is considered a fundamental virulence factor for vascular pathogenesis. CbsA has an N-terminal glycosyl hydrolase domain and a C-terminal fibronectin type III (FnIII) domain. Interestingly, the secreted form of CbsA lacks the FnIII domain during in planta growth. Here we show that the presence of the FnIII domain inhibits the enzyme activity of CbsA on polysaccharide substrates like carboxymethylcellulose. The FnIII domain is required for the interaction of CbsA with SecB chaperone, and this interaction is crucial for the stability and efficient transport of CbsA across the inner membrane. Deletion of the FnIII domain reduced virulence similar to ΔcbsA Xoo, which corroborates the importance of the FnIII domain in CbsA. Our work elucidates a hitherto unknown function of the FnIII domain in enabling the virulence-promoting activity of CbsA.     

Stationary-phase variation due to transposition of novel insertion elements in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae causes bacterial leaf blight, a serious disease of rice. Spontaneous mutants which are deficient for virulence and extracellular polysaccharide (Eps) production accumulate in large numbers in stationary-phase cultures of this bacterium, a phenomenon which we have called stationary-phase variation. A clone (pSD1) carrying the Eps biosynthetic gene (gum) cluster of X. oryzae pv. oryzae restored Eps production and virulence to several spv (for stationary-phase variation) mutants. Data from localized recombination analysis, Southern hybridization, PCR amplification, and sequence analysis showed that the mutations are due to insertion of either one of two novel endogenous insertion sequence (IS) elements, namely, ISXo1 and ISXo2, into gumM, the last gene of the gum gene cluster. The results of Southern analysis indicate the presence of multiple copies of both IS elements in the genome of X. oryzae pv. oryzae. These results demonstrate the role of IS elements in stationary-phase variation in X. oryzae pv. oryzae.     

hrpD6基因决定白叶枯病菌在烟草上的过敏反应和在水稻上的致病性

【目的】白叶枯病菌hrp基因簇由包括hrpD6在内的26个hpa-hrp-hrc基因组成,与植物互作后形成Ⅲ型分泌系统(T3S),将T3S效应分子注入寄主细胞中从而决定在非寄主上的过敏反应(HR)和在水稻上的致病性。但hrpD6基因是否参与了白叶枯病菌在非寄主上的过敏反应(HR)和在水稻上的致病性(pathogenicity)还不清楚。【方法】借助同源重组方法,本研究对白叶枯病菌hrpD6基因进行了突变。【结果】PCR和Southern杂交结果显示,hrpD6基因被成功敲除。烟草上测定结果显示,hrpD6突变体ΔPhrpD6丧失了HR激发能力。致病性测定发现,ΔPhrpD6在水稻苗期不能形成水渍症状,在成株期水稻上不具有致病性,并且细菌生长能力显著下降。功能互补结果显示,hrpD6基因可恢复ΔPhrpD6在烟草上激发HR和在水稻上的致病性以及在水稻组织中的生长能力。RT-PCR结果显示,hrpD6基因的转录表达不仅受水稻诱导,而且受hrpG和hrpX基因调控。不仅如此,hrpD6基因突变还影响T3S效应分子hpa1基因的转录表达和Hpa1蛋白的分泌,暗示hrpD6基因对hpa1基因转录表达具有调控作用。【结论】hrpD6基因的缺失导致白叶枯病菌不能激发烟草产生HR和和丧失在水稻上的致病性,主要是HrpD6对hpa1基因转录表达具有调控作用,并影响T3S效应分子Hpa1的分泌。这些结果为进一步分析hrpD6是否参与T3S分泌装置的形成和调控其它hrp基因的转录表达从而决定病菌在非寄主上的HR和在水稻上的致病性,提供了科学线索。     

A mutation in an exoglucanase of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae,which confers an endo mode of activity,affects bacterial virulence,but not the induction of immune responses,in rice

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) causes bacterial blight, a serious disease of rice. Xoo secretes a repertoire of cell wall‐degrading enzymes, including cellulases, xylanases and pectinases, to degrade various polysaccharide components of the rice cell wall. A secreted Xoo cellulase, CbsA, is not only a key virulence factor of Xoo, but is also a potent inducer of innate immune responses of rice. In this study, we solved the crystal structure of the catalytic domain of the CbsA protein to a resolution of 1.86 Å. The core structure of CbsA shows a central distorted TIM barrel made up of eight β strands with N‐ and C‐terminal loops enclosing the active site, which is a characteristic structural feature of an exoglucanase. The aspartic acid at the 131st position of CbsA was predicted to be important for catalysis and was therefore mutated to alanine to study its role in the catalysis and biological functions of CbsA. Intriguingly, the D131A CbsA mutant protein displayed the enzymatic activity of a typical endoglucanase. D131A CbsA was as proficient as wild‐type (Wt) CbsA in inducing rice immune responses, but was deficient in virulence‐promoting activity. This indicates that the specific exoglucanase activity of the Wt CbsA protein is required for this protein to promote the growth of Xoo in rice.     

Genetic Diversity of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae in Asia

Restriction fragment length polymorphism and virulence analyses were used to evaluate the population structure of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, the rice bacterial blight pathogen, from several rice-growing countries in Asia. Two DNA sequences from X. oryzae pv. oryzae, IS1112, an insertion sequence, and avrXa10, a member of a family of avirulence genes, were used as probes to analyze the genomes of 308 strains of X. oryzae pv. oryzae collected from China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, and the Philippines. On the basis of the consensus of three clustering statistics, the collection formed five clusters. Genetic distances within the five clusters ranged from 0.16 to 0.51, and distances between clusters ranged from 0.48 to 0.64. Three of the five clusters consisted of strains from a single country. Strains within two clusters, however, were found in more than one country, suggesting patterns of movement of the pathogen. The pathotype of X. oryzae pv. oryzae was determined for 226 strains by inoculating five rice differential cultivars. More than one pathotype was associated with each cluster; however, some pathotypes were associated with only one cluster. Most strains from South Asia (Nepal and India) were virulent to cultivars containing the bacterial blight resistance gene xa-5, while most strains from other countries were avirulent to xa-5. The regional differentiation of clusters of X. oryzae pv. oryzae in Asia and the association of some pathotypes of X. oryzae pv. oryzae with single clusters suggested that strategies that target regional resistance breeding and gene deployment are feasible.