Identification of QuiP, the product of gene PA1032, as the second acyl-homoserine lactone acylase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1

The relevance of the acyl homoserine lactone (acyl-HSL) quorum signals N-3-oxododecanoyl-homoserine lactone (3OC12HSL) and N-butanoyl-homoserine lactone to the biology and virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is well investigated. Previously, P. aeruginosa was shown to degrade long-chain, but not short-chain, acyl-HSLs as sole carbon and energy sources (J. J. Huang, J.-I. Han, L.-H. Zhang, and J. R. Leadbetter, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69:5941-5949, 2003). A gene encoding an enzyme with acyl-HSL acylase activity, pvdQ (PA2385), was identified, but it was not required for acyl-HSL utilization. This indicated that P. aeruginosa encodes another acyl-HSL acylase, which we identify here. A comparison of total cell proteins of cultures grown with long-acyl acyl-HSLs versus other substrates implicated the involvement of a homolog of PvdQ, the product of gene PA1032, for which we propose the name QuiP. Transposon mutants of quiP were defective for growth when P. aeruginosa was cultured in medium containing decanoyl-HSL as a sole carbon and energy source. Complementation with a functional copy of quiP rescued this growth defect. When P. aeruginosa was grown in buffered lysogeny broth, constitutive expression of QuiP in P. aeruginosa led to decreased accumulations of the quorum signal 3OC12HSL, relative to the wild type. Heterologous expression of QuiP was sufficient to confer long-chain acyl-HSL acylase activity upon Escherichia coli. Examination of gene expression patterns during acyl-HSL-dependent growth of P. aeruginosa further supported the involvement of quiP in signal decay and revealed other genes also possibly involved. It is not yet known under which "natural" conditions quiP is expressed or how P. aeruginosa balances the expression of its quorum-sensing systems with the expression of its acyl-HSL acylase activities.     

Utilization of Acyl-Homoserine Lactone Quorum Signals for Growth by a Soil Pseudomonad and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1

Acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) are employed by several Proteobacteria as quorum-sensing signals. Past studies have established that these compounds are subject to biochemical decay and can be used as growth nutrients. Here we describe the isolation of a soil bacterium, Pseudomonas strain PAI-A, that degrades 3-oxododecanoyl-homoserine lactone (3OC12HSL) and other long-acyl, but not short-acyl, AHLs as sole energy sources for growth. The small-subunit rRNA gene from strain PAI-A was 98.4% identical to that of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but the soil isolate did not produce obvious pigments or AHLs or grow under denitrifying conditions or at 42°C. The quorum-sensing bacterium P. aeruginosa, which produces both 3OC12HSL and C4HSL, was examined for the ability to utilize AHLs for growth. It did so with a specificity similar to that of strain PAI-A, i.e., degrading long-acyl but not short-acyl AHLs. In contrast to the growth observed with strain PAI-A, P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 growth on AHLs commenced only after extremely long lag phases. Liquid-chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry analyses indicate that strain PAO1 degrades long-acyl AHLs via an AHL acylase and a homoserine-generating HSL lactonase. A P. aeruginosa gene, pvdQ (PA2385), has previously been identified as being a homologue of the AHL acylase described as occurring in a Ralstonia species. Escherichia coli expressing pvdQ catalyzed the rapid inactivation of long-acyl AHLs and the release of HSL. P. aeruginosa engineered to constitutively express pvdQ did not accumulate its 3OC12HSL quorum signal when grown in rich media. However, pvdQ knockout mutants of P. aeruginosa were still able to grow by utilizing 3OC12HSL. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the degradation of AHLs by pseudomonads or other γ-Proteobacteria, of AHL acylase activity in a quorum-sensing bacterium, of HSL lactonase activity in any bacterium, and of AHL degradation with specificity only towards AHLs with long side chains.     

铜绿假单胞菌PAO1中c-di-GMP代谢相关基因PA0575对表型的影响

【背景】铜绿假单胞菌PAO1中存在与环鸟苷二磷酸(cyclic-di-guanosine monophosphate,c-di-GMP)代谢相关基因PA0575。【目的】探讨铜绿假单胞菌PAO1中环鸟苷二磷酸代谢相关基因PA0575对运动能力及生物膜的影响。【方法】通过PCR对菌株遗传背景进行确认;利用刚果红结合实验及电转PcdrA-gfp质粒间接测量胞内c-di-GMP水平;利用泳动性(swimming)、蜂群泳动(swarming)、蹭行运动(twiching)和生物膜定量实验对细菌进行表型分析,并在运动培养基中添加抗生素研究其对运动能力的影响;针对PA0575基因进行融合蛋白表达载体的构建,并对蛋白进行原核诱导表达。【结果】3株突变体菌株的转座子插入突变位点不一致,胞内c-di-GMP水平检测结果显示,PA0575-1菌株的c-di-GMP含量高于野生型PAO1菌株(P0.05),PA0575-2、PA0575-3菌株胞内c-di-GMP水平与野生型PAO1菌株无差异(P0.05)。运动能力检测实验中,与野生型PAO1菌株相比,PA0575-1菌株泳动性增强(P0.05);PA0575-2、PA0575-3菌株的泳动性、蜂群运动均增强(P0.05);该基因不同位点的突变均导致氯霉素对菌株的运动能力产生抑制作用。生物膜定量结果显示,与野生型PAO1菌株相比,细菌培养18 h后PA0575-1的生物膜含量降低(P0.05),PA0575-2、PA0575-3菌株的生物膜含量升高。最后成功构建了PA0575基因不同结构域的8个表达载体,并获得了异源表达蛋白。【结论】PA0575基因降低铜绿假单胞菌胞内c-di-GMP的水平,影响表型的同时也抑制了氯霉素抗性基因的表达。以上研究为PA0575基因对表型的影响奠定了基础。     

Studies on the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 bacteriophage receptors

Receptor for phage PIK specific for Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO1 was studied. Phage PIK was strongly inactivated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro, exhibiting a PhI50 of 4.8 micrograms/ml. Further it was noted that this inactivation by LPS was reduced to 50% by several mono- and disaccharides when tested in vitro. D-glucosamine, D-mannose and L-rhamnose were found to be most effective at the concentration of 0.045 M, 0.25 M and 0.35 M respectively. This suggests the possibility that phage PIK receptor in LPS contains D-mannose, L-rhamnose and D-glucosamine. Either one of the former two could be located at a terminal position alpha-linked to the adjacent residue or located internally in the polysaccharide chain linked through its C-4 position. A theoretical approach to the interpretation of phage cell interaction was also investigated.     

Production of pyoverdine, the fluorescent pigment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1

Abstract The nutritional requirements for the production of pyoverdine were studied using Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO₁ in a chemically defined medium, with shaking. Succinic acid and ammonium sulphate were found to be the best sources of carbon and nitrogen for pyoverdine production. The optimum carbon-to-nitrogen ratio was found to be 4:1. Elevated concentrations of phosphate inhibited pyoverdine production.     

Basic characterization of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 bacteriophage

A bacteriophage of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 was characterized. Bacteriophage PIK was found to adsorb on the cell wall of the host organism. Electron microscopy of the phage PIK revealed that it had a bipyramidal hexagonal prismatic head of 110 nm in diameter, a tail which was 158 nm long and a tail plate of 47 nm width. This paper describes its basic characters, and a quantitative study was made of its adsorption to exponential phase cells of two different strains of P. aeruginosa. PIK was found to contain double stranded DNA and it appears to be virulent towards its host, P. aeruginosa PAO1. It was classified into the group of phages possessing a contractile tail.     

Identification of an Insertion Sequence in the Chromosome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO

An insertion sequence, IS22, in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO was identified by its genetic properties. It occurred as a single copy in the chromosome, as shown by Southern hybridization. A restriction map of it was constructed.     

Isolation and characterization of a generalized transducing phage for Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains PAO1 and PA14

A temperate, type IV pilus-dependent, double-stranded DNA bacteriophage named DMS3 was isolated from a clinical strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A clear-plaque variant of this bacteriophage was isolated. DMS3 is capable of mediating generalized transduction within and between P. aeruginosa strains PA14 and PAO1, thus providing a useful tool for the genetic analysis of P. aeruginosa.     

Genome Diversity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 Laboratory Strains

Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 is the most commonly used strain for research on this ubiquitous and metabolically versatile opportunistic pathogen. Strain PAO1, a derivative of the original Australian PAO isolate, has been distributed worldwide to laboratories and strain collections. Over decades discordant phenotypes of PAO1 sublines have emerged. Taking the existing PAO1-UW genome sequence (named after the University of Washington, which led the sequencing project) as a blueprint, the genome sequences of reference strains MPAO1 and PAO1-DSM (stored at the German Collection for Microorganisms and Cell Cultures [DSMZ]) were resolved by physical mapping and deep short read sequencing-by-synthesis. MPAO1 has been the source of near-saturation libraries of transposon insertion mutants, and PAO1-DSM is identical in its SpeI-DpnI restriction map with the original isolate. The major genomic differences of MPAO1 and PAO1-DSM in comparison to PAO1-UW are the lack of a large inversion, a duplication of a mobile 12-kb prophage region carrying a distinct integrase and protein phosphatases or kinases, deletions of 3 to 1,006 bp in size, and at least 39 single-nucleotide substitutions, 17 of which affect protein sequences. The PAO1 sublines differed in their ability to cope with nutrient limitation and their virulence in an acute murine airway infection model. Subline PAO1-DSM outnumbered the two other sublines in late stationary growth phase. In conclusion, P. aeruginosa PAO1 shows an ongoing microevolution of genotype and phenotype that jeopardizes the reproducibility of research. High-throughput genome resequencing will resolve more cases and could become a proper quality control for strain collections.The metabolically versatile Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen of plants, animals, and humans and is ubiquitously distributed in soil and aquatic habitats. The common reference strain is P. aeruginosa PAO1, a spontaneous chloramphenicol-resistant mutant of the original PAO strain (earlier called “P. aeruginosa strain 1”) that had been isolated in 1954 from a wound in Melbourne, Australia (9, 10). This PAO1 strain from Bruce Holloway''s laboratory has become the reference strain for Pseudomonas genetics and functional analyses of the physiology and metabolism of this gammaproteobacterium. A genetic map of its chromosome was generated by exploiting the mechanisms of gene exchange in bacteria, i.e., transduction and conjugation (11). With the advent of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), a physical map of the PAO1 genome was constructed (32) and later merged with the genetic map information (12). By 2000 the PAO1 strain had been completely sequenced (36). Thereafter, the genome annotation has been continually updated and the database content and functionality have been expanded to facilitate accelerated discovery of P. aeruginosa drug targets and vaccine candidates (38). Two near-saturation libraries of transposon insertion mutants have been constructed in P. aeruginosa PAO1 as a global resource for the scientific community (14, 22).Comparison of the genome sequence with the physical map revealed a large, 2.2-Mb inversion between the sequenced PAO1-UW strain (36) and the original PAO1 strain (9, 10), indicating that PAO1 sublines maintained worldwide in numerous laboratories and strain collections had diversified their genomic sequence. Mutational events were already reported in the 1970s (10), and more recently sequence variations of MexT, which regulates the MexEF-OprN multidrug efflux system, were described (18, 24). Furthermore, a PAO1 subline from a German strain collection (PAO1-D) and another, independent PAO1 subline from a Japanese strain collection (PAO1-J) that had been stored by research groups in Germany and Japan, respectively, were found to be quorum-sensing-negative mutants that carried point mutations in the regulatory gene lasR (6). In addition, spontaneous secretion-defective vfr mutants from a PAO1 population were observed after several cycles of static growth (2). Similarly, we noted a difference in virulence in a mouse infection model (see below) between the MPAO1 and PAO1-DSM sublines that had been utilized for the construction of the transposon library (14) and the physical map (32), respectively. PAO1-DSM was indistinguishable in its SpeI-DpnI-SwaI-PacI physical map from the PAO1 subline that had been stored in the Holloway laboratory (12). Hence, we decided to compare the genomic sequence of the initially sequenced PAO1 subline PAO1-UW (36) with that of MPAO1 and PAO1-DSM. Combined physical mapping and DNA sequencing-by-synthesis revealed numerous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertions-deletions (indels) in the chromosomes that were associated with differences in fitness, antimicrobial susceptibility, and virulence of the sublines.     

Identification of C(4)-dicarboxylate transport systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1

Pseudomonas aeruginosa utilizes preferentially C(4)-dicarboxylates such as malate, fumarate, and succinate as carbon and energy sources. We have identified and characterized two C(4)-dicarboxylate transport (Dct) systems in P. aeruginosa PAO1. Inactivation of the dctA(PA1183) gene caused a growth defect of the strain in minimal media supplemented with succinate, fumarate or malate, indicating that DctA has a major role in Dct. However, residual growth of the dctA mutant in these media suggested the presence of additional C(4)-dicarboxylate transporter(s). Tn5 insertion mutagenesis of the ΔdctA mutant led to the identification of a second Dct system, i.e., the DctPQM transporter belonging to the tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) family of carriers. The ΔdctA ΔdctPQM double mutant showed no growth on malate and fumarate and residual growth on succinate, suggesting that DctA and DctPQM are the only malate and fumarate transporters, whereas additional transporters for succinate are present. Using lacZ reporter fusions, we showed that the expression of the dctA gene and the dctPQM operon was enhanced in early exponential growth phase and induced by C(4)-dicarboxylates. Competition experiments demonstrated that the DctPQM carrier was more efficient than the DctA carrier for the utilization of succinate at micromolar concentrations, whereas DctA was the major transporter at millimolar concentrations. To conclude, this is the first time that the high- and low-affinity uptake systems for succinate DctA and DctPQM have been reported to function coordinately to transport C(4)-dicarboxylates and that the alternative sigma factor RpoN and a DctB/DctD two-component system regulates simultaneously the dctA gene and the dctPQM operon.     

Identification of CtpL as a Chromosomally Encoded Chemoreceptor for 4-Chloroaniline and Catechol in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1

Bacterial chemotaxis influences the ability of bacteria to survive and thrive in most environments, including polluted ones. Despite numerous reports of the phenotypic characterization of chemotactic bacteria, only a few molecular details of chemoreceptors for aromatic pollutants have been described. In this study, the molecular basis of chemotaxis toward an environmentally toxic chlorinated aromatic pollutant, 4-chloroaniline (4CA), was evaluated. Among the three Pseudomonas spp. tested, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 exhibited positive chemotaxis both to the nonmetabolizable 4CA, where 4-chloroacetanilide was formed as a dead-end transformation product, and to the metabolizable catechol. Molecular analysis of all 26 mutants with a disrupted methyl-accepting chemotaxis gene revealed that CtpL, a chromosomally encoded chemoreceptor, was responsible for the positive chemotactic response toward 4CA. Since CtpL has previously been described to be a major chemoreceptor for inorganic phosphate at low concentrations in PAO1, this report describes a fortuitous ability of CtpL to function toward aromatic pollutants. In addition, its regulation not only was dependent on the presence of the chemoattractant inducer but also was regulated by conditions of phosphate starvation. These results expand the range of known chemotactic transducers and their function in the environmental bacterium PAO1.     

Effect of Superoxide Dismutase Gene Inactivation on Virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 toward the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

To investigate the role of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in virulence against the silkworm, Bombyx mori, mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 lacking manganese-SOD (PAO1sodM), iron-SOD (PAO1sodB), or both (PAO1sodMB) were generated. The mutants were injected into the hemocoel of B. mori. The virulence decreased in the order PAO1 = PAO1sodM > PAO1sodB > PAO1sodMB. In particular, PAO1sodMB was avirulent at a dose of 10⁵ cells or less. The sod double mutant PAO1sodMB was then complemented with either pSodM or pSodB in trans. In both the complemented strains, the virulence was partially restored. Of the two plasmids, pSodB contributed more to the virulence of P. aeruginosa against B. mori. The results of growth in B. mori hemolymph broth and microscopic analysis suggested that a longer lag phase and superoxide sensitivity correlated with decreased virulence in sod mutants. In conclusion, the SODs are required for full virulence of P. aeruginosa against B. mori and Fe-SOD is more important than Mn-SOD in the infection process.     

Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 as a model for rhamnolipid production in bioreactor systems

Rhamnolipids are biosurfactants with interesting physico-chemical properties. However, the main obstacles towards an economic production are low productivity, high raw-material costs, relatively expensive downstream processing, and a lack of understanding the rhamnolipid production regulation in bioreactor systems. This study shows that the sequenced Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO1 is able to produce high quantities of rhamnolipid during 30 L batch bioreactor cultivations with sunflower oil as sole carbon source and nitrogen limiting conditions. Thus PAO1 could be an appropriate model for rhamnolipid production in pilot plant bioreactor systems. In contrast to well-established production strains, PAO1 allows knowledge-based systems biotechnological process development combined with the frequently used heuristic bioengineering approach. The maximum rhamnolipid concentration obtained was 39 g/L after 90 h of cultivation. The volumetric productivity of 0.43 g/Lh was comparable with previous described production strains. The specific rhamnolipid productivity showed a maximum between 40 and 70 h of process time of 0.088 g_RL/g_BDMh. At the same time interval, a shift of the molar di- to mono-rhamnolipid ratio from 1:1 to about 2:1 was observed. PAO1 not only seems to be an appropriate model, but surprisingly has the potential as a strain of choice for actual biotechnological rhamnolipid production.     

Characterization of nutrient-induced dispersion in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 biofilm

The processes associated with early events in biofilm formation have become a major research focus over the past several years. Events associated with dispersion of cells from late stage biofilms have, however, received little attention. We demonstrate here that dispersal of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 from biofilms is inducible by a sudden increase in carbon substrate availability. Most efficient at inducing dispersal were sudden increases in availability of succinate > glutamate > glucose that led to approximately 80% reductions in surface-associated biofilm biomass. Nutrient-induced biofilm dispersion was associated with increased expression of flagella (fliC) and correspondingly decreased expression of pilus (pilA) genes in dispersed cells. Changes in gene expression associated with dispersion of P. aeruginosa biofilms were studied by using DNA microarray technology. Results corroborated proteomic data that showed gene expression to be markedly different between biofilms and newly dispersed cells. Gene families that were upregulated in dispersed cells included those for flagellar and ribosomal proteins, kinases, and phage PF1. Within the biofilm, genes encoding a number of denitrification pathways and pilus biosynthesis were also upregulated. Interestingly, nutrient-induced dispersion was associated with an increase in the number of Ser/Thr-phosphorylated proteins within the newly dispersed cells, and inhibition of dephosphorylation reduced the extent of nutrient-induced dispersion. This study is the first to demonstrate that dispersal of P. aeruginosa from biofilms can be induced by the addition of simple carbon sources. This study is also the first to demonstrate that dispersal of P. aeruginosa correlates with a specific dispersal phenotype.     

A Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 acetylcholinesterase is encoded by the PA4921 gene and belongs to the SGNH hydrolase family

Through the use of molecular and biochemical experiments and bioinformatic tools, this work demonstrates that the PA4921 gene of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 genome is a gene responsible for cholinesterase (ChoE) activity. Similar to the acetylcholinesterase (AchE) of Zea mays, this ChoE belongs to the SGNH hydrolase family. In mature ChoE, i.e., without a signal peptide, (18)Ser, (78)Gly, (127)N, and (268)H are conserved aminoacyl residues. Acetylthiocholine (ATC) and propionylthiocholine (PTC) are substrates of this enzyme, but butyrylcholine is an inhibitor. The enzyme also catalyzes the hydrolysis of the artificial esters p-nitrophenyl propionate (pNPP) and p-nitrophenyl butyrate (pNPB) but with lower catalytic efficiency with respect to ATC or PTC. The second difference is that pNPP and pNPB did not produce inhibition at high substrate concentrations, as occurred with ATC and PTC. These differences plus preliminary biochemical and kinetic studies with alkylammonium compounds led us to propose that this enzyme is an acetylcholinesterase (AchE) or propionylcholinesterase. Studies performed with the purified recombinant enzyme indicated that the substrate saturation curves and the catalytic mechanism are similar to those properties described for mammalian AchEs. Therefore, the results of this work suggest that the P. aeruginosa ChoE is an AchE that may also be found in Pseudomonas fluorescens.     

Size of the Chromosome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO

Electron microscope examination and velocity sedimentation analysis of the deoxyribonucleic acid released from Pseudomonas aeruginosa spheroplasts indicate that this organism carries the bulk of its genetic determinants in a single duplex deoxyribonucleic acid molecule having a molecular mass of 2.1 x 10(9) daltons.