植物病原黄单胞菌退出群体感应生理状态的分子机制和生物学意义

黄单胞菌是一类引起多种作物病害的病原细菌总称.它们利用自身产生的DSF(Diffusible signaling factor)-家族群体感应(quorum sensing,QS)信号分子感应群体密度,调控致病相关基因的表达.当黄单胞菌培养达到对数生长后期时,培养体系中DSF信号分子浓度迅速降低,呈现一种典型的群体感应...     

天然氨基酸诱导野油菜黄单胞菌降解DSF-家族群体感应信号活性分析

【背景】野油菜黄单胞菌(Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris,Xcc)是十字花科植物黑腐病的致病菌。Xcc中DSF (Diffusible signal factor)信号依赖的群体感应系统和RpfB介导的群体感应退出机制均与其致病性密切相关。【目的】分别检测18种氨基酸对DSF-家族群体感应信号分子合成的影响,为研发新型生物防治方法提供思路。【方法】添加不同浓度的氨基酸到ΔrpfC菌株XYS培养体系中,接种后不同时间点取样提取DSF信号分子,利用高效液相色谱法(High performance liquid chromatography,HPLC)分析DSF和BDSF浓度。【结果】18种氨基酸中,甲硫氨酸、色氨酸和胱氨酸能有效降低ΔrpfC菌株培养体系中DSF和BDSF水平,抑制效果与氨基酸浓度密切相关;3种氨基酸对DSF信号分子的抑制作用存在叠加效应;甲硫氨酸、色氨酸或胱氨酸不影响ΔrpfCΔrpfB双突变体菌株中DSF和BDSF水平。【结论】首次发现了甲硫氨酸、色氨酸和胱氨酸通过RpfB诱导Xcc退出群体感应状态。     

细菌群体感应淬灭酶及其病害防治研究进展

微生物细胞间通过信号分子进行信息交流的现象即群体感应(Quorum sensing,QS),QS广泛存在于微生物群体中,且可以调控特定基因尤其是很多致病基因的表达。群体感应淬灭(Quorum quenching,QQ)是基于群体感应现象提出的新型病害防治策略,即通过抑制信号分子的合成、监测或对信号分子进行酶降解、修饰的途径来干扰群体感应以达到防治病害的目的。利用群体感应淬灭酶(Quorum quenching enzymes)降解微生物信号分子,是目前毒性最小、最为有效的群体感应淬灭途径。迄今为止,多种细菌信号分子的群体感应淬灭酶都已有报道,其中,酰基高丝氨酸内酯(N-acyl homoserine lactones,AHLs)和顺-11-甲基-2-癸烯酸(cis-11-Methyl-2-dodecenoic acid)群体感应淬灭酶研究最为深入。综述并分析了群体感应淬灭酶及其病害防治的研究现状、存在的问题和未来研究方向,为今后发展新型绿色安全病害防控措施提供关键理论和技术支撑。     

野油菜黄单胞菌中3-羟基脂酰ACP脱水酶FabZ的生理功能

【背景】野油菜黄单胞菌(Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, Xcc)引起十字花科植物黑腐病,在全球范围内造成经济损失,亟须深入研究其致病机理,开发新的黑腐病防控措施。细菌脂肪酸合成系统不仅为细胞膜合成提供原料,其中间代谢产物还是许多生物活性分子合成的底物,具有重要的生理功能,也是抗菌药物筛选的重要靶标。【目的】研究XccfabZ对扩散信号分子(diffusible signal factor, DSF)类信号产量、致病力、胞外酶、胞外多糖和运动性等方面的影响。【方法】利用报告菌株检测法分析了不同替换突变株的DSF类群体感应信号产量。利用同源重组原理,在DSF类信号高产菌株中获得替换突变株,利用高效液相色谱(highperformanceliquid chromatography, HPLC)法测定DSF类信号产量。利用剪叶法检测替换突变株对寄主植物甘蓝的致病力,并分析了不同菌株的胞外多糖、胞外酶和运动性差异。【结果】报告菌株检测法和HPLC法都证明大肠杆菌fabZ替换突变株(XccΔfabZ/pSRK-EcfabZ)中DSF类信号产量显著下降。...     

RND家族外排泵及其与微生物群体感应系统的相互关系

抗生素耐药性一直是细菌病害防治的难题,药物外排泵过量表达是细菌耐药性形成的重要机制之一。在革兰氏阴性细菌中,RND(Resistance-nodulation-cell division)家族外排泵在耐药性中发挥着重要作用,近年来的研究表明,依赖于小分子信号物质进行调控的群体感应系统与RND外排泵家族之间存在紧密的相互作用关系。本文在介绍RND家族外排泵的结构、转运机理和群体感应系统的类型及调控方式的基础上,剖析了群体感应系统对RND外排泵的调控机理以及RND外排泵对群体感应系统信号分子转运的影响。深入研究RND家族外排泵与群体感应系统之间的相互依赖、相互制约关系有利于阐明RND家族外排泵的调控机理,并有可能为克服微生物耐药性问题提供新的思路。     

醋杆菌中群体感应分布与遗传进化分析

醋杆菌耐酸性能是制约高酸度食醋发酵的关键因素,为更好地探究醋杆菌耐酸调控机制,笔者选取巴氏醋杆菌为主要研究对象,采用指示菌生物检测和仪器分析方法研究了其群体感应特性。同时,结合生物信息学分析,在基因组水平揭示醋杆菌中群体感应的分布与遗传进化。结果表明,巴氏醋杆菌Ab3和CICC 20001不能合成AHLs类和AI-2信号分子。AHLs合成酶Lux I和受体蛋白LuxR的编码基因在巴氏醋杆菌遗传进化过程中普遍丢失,同时也未在其基因组中发现AI-2合成和响应体系中关键蛋白的编码序列。相比于巴氏醋杆菌,在其他菌种(如A. malorum和A. tropicalis)中同样不存在AI-2合成体系,但拥有完整的AHLs合成和感受体系,表明这些菌株中群体感应仍发挥重要的调控作用。群体感应系统在醋杆菌中的分布与生存环境和基因组稳定性密切相关,其中分离于自然环境和宿主肠道内的菌株拥有更多完整的群体感应体系。     

野油菜黄单胞菌6-磷酸果糖激酶基因的初步分析

6-磷酸果糖激酶是糖酵解途径中的关键酶,它催化糖酵解途径中第一个不可逆反应。本研究利用pK18mobsacB自杀质粒采用同源双交换的方法对野油菜黄单胞菌Xcc8004中的6-磷酸果糖激酶基因(XC_0872)进行缺失突变,获得无标记的缺失突变体DM0872。表型检测结果显示DM0872突变体不影响野油菜黄单胞菌对葡萄糖和果糖的利用,不影响胞外多糖的合成,也不影响其致病性。该结果显示糖酵解途径在野油菜黄单胞菌的地位并不重要。另外,我们利用RT-PCR方法检测了XC_0872的转录情况,结果显示XC_0872在Xcc8004中是转录的。而之前曾有报道称黄单胞菌中无法检测出6-磷酸果糖激酶活性,这表明XC_0872进行了转录后调控从而使6-磷酸果糖激酶活性受到限制。本研究为野油菜黄单胞菌中糖酵解途径的调控提供了理论依据,对揭示野油菜黄单胞菌中该途径的调控机制具有一定的意义。     

废水处理中群体感应调控行为研究进展

群体感应是微生物在繁殖过程中分泌一些特定的信号分子,当信号分子浓度达到一定阈值后,可以调控某些基因表达,从而实现信息交流的现象.群体感应调控着生物膜形成、公共物质合成、基因水平转移等一系列社会性行为,广泛存在于各类微生物信息交流中.活性污泥、生物膜和颗粒污泥等生物聚集体广泛存在群体感应现象,了解和认识群体感应与微生物之间的调控行为,对于废水处理具有重要意义.本文综述了感应信号分子的分类、群体感应调控机制,群体感应在活性污泥、生物膜、好氧颗粒污泥和厌氧颗粒污泥等废水处理中的调控行为的研究进展,并对废水处理中群体感应的研究进行了展望,以期为深入理解废水处理中群体感应调控行为提供参考.     

LuxR家族调控蛋白的结构及功能

LuxR家族调控蛋白是一类在革兰氏阴性细菌群体感应中起重要作用的调控蛋白,它们参与由酰基高丝氨酸内酯介导的多种生物学过程,调控细菌生物发光、质粒转移、生物膜形成以及多种胞外酶、毒力因子和次生代谢产物的合成。LuxR家族蛋白的研究在医学、环境监测、生物防治和微生物发酵等方面具有巨大的应用潜力。该文综述了LuxR家族调控蛋白近期的研究进展、存在问题及应用前景。     

群体感应信号分子AI-2研究进展

群体感应(QS)是细菌根据种群密度的变化调控基因表达,协调群体行为的机制。除具有种特异性的信号分子AI-1外,近年来发现一类新的信号分子AI-2在调控细菌基因表达中起重要作用。AI-2的结构和生物合成途径已被确定,其产生依赖于一种称为LuxS的蛋白。目前认为AI-2在细菌种间交流中起通用信号分子(universalsignal)的作用。了解细菌的QS调控过程以及种间细胞交流的新机制,有助于对细菌病害进行防治。     

Quorum sensing and virulence regulation in Xanthomonas campestris

It is now clear that cell–cell communication, often referred to as quorum sensing (QS), is the norm in the prokaryotic kingdom and this community-wide genetic regulatory mechanism has been adopted for regulation of many important biological functions. Since the 1980s, several types of QS signals have been identified, which are associated commonly with different types of QS mechanisms. Among them, the diffusible signal factor (DSF)-dependent QS system, originally discovered from bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris , is a relatively new regulatory mechanism. The rapid research progress over the last few years has identified the chemical structure of the QS signal DSF, established the DSF regulon, and unveiled the general signaling pathways and mechanisms. Particular noteworthy are that DSF biosynthesis is modulated by a novel posttranslational autoinduction mechanism involving protein–protein interaction between the DSF synthase RpfF and the sensor RpfC, and that QS signal sensing is coupled to intracellular regulatory networks through a second messenger cyclic-di-GMP and a global regulator Clp. Genomic and genetic analyses show that the DSF QS-signaling pathway regulates diverse biological functions including virulence, biofilm dispersal, and ecological competence. Moreover, evidence is emerging that the DSF QS system is conserved in a range of plant and human bacterial pathogens.     

Contribution of rpfB to cell-to-cell signal synthesis, virulence, and vector transmission of Xylella fastidiosa

In Xylella fastidiosa the fatty acid signal molecule diffusible signaling factor (DSF) is produced and sensed by components of the regulation of pathogenicity factors (rpf) cluster; lack of DSF production in RpfF mutants results in a non-vector-transmissible phenotype yet cells are hypervirulent to grape. rpfB has not been characterized in Xylella fastidiosa, although its homolog has been suggested to be required for DSF synthesis in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. We show that RpfB is involved in DSF processing in both Xylella fastidiosa and Xanthomonas campestris, affecting the profile of DSF-like fatty acids observed in thin-layer chromatography. Although three fatty acids whose production is dependent on RpfF were detected in Xylella fastidiosa and Xanthomonas campestris wild-type strains, their respective rpfB mutants accumulated primarily one chemical species. Although no quantifiable effect of rpfB on plant colonization by Xylella fastidiosa was found, insect colonization and transmission was reduced. Thus, RpfB apparently is involved in DSF processing, and like Xanthomonas campestris, Xylella fastidiosa also produces multiple DSF molecules. It is possible that Xylella fastidiosa coordinates host vector and plant colonization by varying the proportions of different forms of DSF signals via RpfB.     

A bacterial cell-cell communication signal with cross-kingdom structural analogues

Extracellular signals are the key components of microbial cell-cell communication systems. This report identified a diffusible signal factor (DSF), which regulates virulence in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, as cis-11-methyl-2-dodecenoic acid, an alpha,beta unsaturated fatty acid. Analysis of DSF derivatives established the double bond at the alpha,beta positions as the most important structural feature for DSF biological activity. A range of bacterial pathogens, including several Mycobacterium species, also displayed DSF-like activity. Furthermore, DSF is structurally and functionally related to farnesoic acid (FA), which regulates morphological transition and virulence by Candida albicans, a fungal pathogen. Similar to FA, which is also an alpha,beta unsaturated fatty acid, DSF inhibits the dimorphic transition of C. albicans at a physiologically relevant concentration. We conclude that alpha,beta unsaturated fatty acids represent a new class of extracellular signals for bacterial and fungal cell-cell communications. As prokaryote-eukaryote interactions are ubiquitous, such cross-kingdom conservation in cell-cell communication systems might have significant ecological and economic importance.     

Communication with a growing family: diffusible signal factor (DSF) signaling in bacteria

Many pathogenic bacteria use cell-cell signaling to regulate the expression of factors contributing to virulence. Bacteria produce signals of diverse structural classes. The signal molecule known as diffusible signal factor (DSF) is a cis-unsaturated fatty acid that was first described in the plant pathogen Xanthomonas campestris. Recent work has shown that structurally related molecules produced by the unrelated bacteria Burkholderia cenocepacia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa regulate virulence, biofilm formation and antibiotic tolerance in these important human pathogens. Furthermore, DSF family signals have been shown to be involved in interspecies signaling that modulates bacterial behavior. An understanding of these diverse signaling mechanisms could suggest strategies for interference, with consequences for disease control.     

In silico model of DSF synthase RpfF protein from Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae: a novel target for bacterial blight of rice disease

BACKGROUND: Rice plant diseases play a major role as biological constraints on production. One of such rice disease is bacterial leaf blight, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae (Xoo). The diffusible signal factor (DSF) synthesized by Xoo has a major role in virulence to rice plant. The DSF synthase RpfF protein, which is related to crotonase superfamily is responsible for the maintaining concentration of DSF. DSF-dependent quorum sensing (QS) system adopts protein- protein interaction mechanism to auto regulates the production of DSF. The antibacterial activity of pesticides against Xoo has not yet been completely understood. Three dimensional structure of RpfF protein was predicted using homology modeling method by MODELLER 9V9 software, SWISS MODEL and GENO3D online tools and structures were validated by Ramachandran plot, TM-Score and RMSD. 3D structure of RpfF (accession number AAL06345) was predicted using DSF synthase of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) (PDB ID: 3M6M) as a template. The stereo chemical check reveals the structure developed from the modeller was the best one and the potential ligand binding sites were identified by CASTp Server. The predicted RpfF model provides insight into its structure, active sites and aid in the development of novel inhibitors to control bacterial leaf blight in rice plant. DSF synthase RpfF protein could be used as a novel target to control infection.     

Virulence of plant pathogenic bacteria attenuated by degradation of fatty acid cell-to-cell signaling factors

Diffusible signal factor (DSF) is a fatty acid signal molecule involved in regulation of virulence in several Xanthomonas species as well as Xylella fastidiosa. In this study, we identified a variety of bacteria that could disrupt DSF-mediated induction of virulence factors in Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris. While many bacteria had the ability to degrade DSF, several bacterial strains belonging to genera Bacillus, Paenibacillus, Microbacterium, Staphylococcus, and Pseudomonas were identified that were capable of particularly rapid degradation of DSF. The molecular determinants for rapid degradation of DSF in Pseudomonas spp. strain G were elucidated. Random transposon mutants of strain G lacking the ability to degrade DSF were isolated. Cloning and characterization of disrupted genes in these strains revealed that carAB, required for the synthesis of carbamoylphosphate, a precursor for pyrimidine and arginine biosynthesis is required for rapid degradation of DSF in strain G. Complementation of carAB mutants restored both pyrimidine prototrophy and DSF degradation ability of the strain G mutant. An Escherichia coli strain harboring carAB of Pseudomonas spp. strain G degrades DSF more rapidly than the parental strain, and overexpression of carAB in trans increased the ability of Pseudomonas spp. strain G to degrade as compared with the parental strain. Coinoculation of X. campestris pv. campestris with DSF-degrading bacteria into mustard and cabbage leaves reduced disease severity up to twofold compared with plants inoculated only with the pathogen. Likewise, disease incidence and severity in grape stems coinoculated with Xylella fastidiosa and DSF-degrading strains were significantly reduced compared with plants inoculated with the pathogen alone. Coinoculation of grape plants with a carAB mutant of Pseudomonas spp. strain G complemented with carAB in trans reduced disease severity as well or better than the parental strain. These results indicate that overexpression of carAB in other endophytes could be a useful strategy of biocontrol for the control of diseases caused by plant pathogens that produce DSF.