The two-component system sivS/R regulates virulence in Streptococcus iniae

Streptococcus iniae causes invasive disease and death in fish, and to a lesser extent, sporadic cases of soft-tissue infections in humans. A two-component system termed sivS/R, which regulates capsule expression, was previously identified and characterized. In this study, it is shown that a sivS/R deletion-insertion mutant, termed 9117Deltasiv, causes transient bacteremia and reduced virulence compared with the parent strain when tested in a murine model of bacteremic infection. Furthermore, real-time PCR studies indicated that SivS/R regulates the expression levels of the streptolysin S structural gene, sagA, as well as the CAMP factor gene, cfi. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of S. iniae spheroplasts revealed downregulation of three surface proteins in the mutant strain compared with the parent strain. These proteins were identified by MS to be a putative lipoprotein, a hyaluronate-associated protein and a pyruvate kinase. This study demonstrates that SivS/R regulates virulence in vivo, and controls the expression of a number of genes in S. iniae.     

Two-component signal transduction systems and regulation of virulence factors in <Emphasis Type=Italic>Xanthomonas</Emphasis>: a perspective

Two-component signal transduction systems (TCSTSs), consisting of a histidine kinase and a response regulator, play a critical role in regulating virulence gene expression in Gram-negative phytopathogenic bacteria Xanthomonas spp.. To date, 12 TCSTS genes have been identified, accounting for approximately 10% of the TCSTS genes in each genome that have been experimentally identified to be related to pathogenesis. These TCSTSs modulate the expression of a number of virulence factors through diverse molecular mechanisms such as interacting with DNA, protein-binding and involvement in second messenger metabolism, which generates a high level of regulatory versatility. Here we summarize the current knowledge in this field and discuss the emerging themes and remaining questions that are important in deciphering the signaling network of TCSTSs in Xanthomonas.     

Regulation of virulence and antibiotic resistance by two-component regulatory systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa ubiquitously inhabits soil and water habitats and also causes serious, often antibiotic resistant, infections in immunocompromised patients (e.g. cystic fibrosis). This versatility is mediated in part by a large repertoire of two-component regulatory systems that appear instrumental in the regulation of both virulence processes and resistance to antimicrobials. Major two-component regulatory system proteins demonstrated to regulate these diverse processes include PhoP–PhoQ, GacA–GacS, RetS, LadS, and AlgR, among others. Here, we summarize the current body of knowledge of these and other two-component systems that provides insight into the complex regulation of virulence and resistance in P. aeruginosa .     

Tomato ethylene receptor-CTR interactions: visualization of NEVER-RIPE interactions with multiple CTRs at the endoplasmic reticulum

In the model plant Arabidopsis, members of a family of two-componentsystem His kinase-like ethylene receptors have direct protein–proteininteractions with a single downstream Ser/Thr kinase CTR1. Thesecomponents of the ethylene signalling network found in Arabidopsisare conserved in the climacteric fruit tomato, but both theethylene receptors and CTR1-like proteins (LeCTRs) in tomatoare encoded by multigene families. Here, using a yeast two-hybridinteraction assay, it is shown that the tomato receptors LeETR1,LeETR2, and NEVER-RIPE (NR) can interact with multiple LeCTRs.In vivo protein localization studies with fluorescent taggedproteins revealed that the ethylene receptor NR was targetedto the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) when transiently expressedin onion epidermal cells, whereas the four LeCTR proteins werefound in the cytoplasm and nucleus. When co-expressed with NR,three LeCTRs (1, 3, and 4), but not LeCTR2, also adopted thesame ER localization pattern in an NR receptor-dependent mannerbut not in the absence of NR. The receptor–CTR interactionswere confirmed by biomolecular fluorescence complementation(BiFC) showing that NR could form a protein complex with LeCTR1,3, and 4. This suggested that ethylene receptors recruit theseLeCTR proteins to the ER membrane through direct protein–proteininteraction. The receptor–CTR interactions and localizationobserved in the study reinforce the idea that ethylene receptorstransmit the signal to the downstream CTRs and show that a singlereceptor can interact with multiple CTR proteins. It remainsunclear whether the different LeCTRs are functionally redundantor have unique roles in ethylene signalling. Key words: BiFC, endoplasmic reticulum, Ser/Thr kinase, tomato ethylene signalling, two-component system His kinase     

Disruption of response regulator gene, devR, leads to attenuation in virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The devR-devS two-component system of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was identified earlier and partially characterized in our laboratory. A devR::kan mutant of M. tuberculosis was constructed by allelic exchange. The devR mutant strain showed reduced cell-to-cell adherence in comparison to the parental strain in laboratory culture media. This phenotype was reversed on complementation with a wild-type copy of devR. The devR mutant and parental strains grew at equivalent rates within human monocytes either in the absence or in the presence of lymphocytic cells. The expression of DevR was not modulated upon entry of M. tuberculosis into human monocytes. However, guinea pigs infected with the mutant strain showed a significant decrease in gross lesions in lung, liver and spleen; only mild pathological changes in liver and lung; and a nearly 3 log lower bacterial burden in spleen compared to guinea pigs infected with the parental strain. Our results suggest that DevR is required for virulence in guinea pigs but is not essential for entry, survival and multiplication of M. tuberculosis within human monocytes in vitro. The attenuation in virulence of the devR mutant in guinea pigs together with DevR-DevS being a bona fide signal transduction system indicates that DevR plays a critical and regulatory role in the adaptation and survival of M. tuberculosis within tissues.     

二元调控系统PhoP-PhoQ在细菌中的调控作用

PhoP-PhoQ是一种二元调控系统,它调控着细菌的毒力,参与细菌对Mg2 限制性生长环境的适应,而且还调节几种革兰阴性细菌的许多细胞活性。本文对PhoP-PhoQ感知Mg2 浓度的变化、与靶基因的启动子区结合引起靶基因的上调和下调,尤其是对脂质A的结构修饰和细菌毒力的调控作用作一介绍。     

Disruption of the BMEI0066 gene attenuates the virulence of Brucella melitensis and decreases its stress tolerance

Brucella melitensis is a facultative intracellular pathogen. An operon composed of BMEI0066, which encodes a two-component response regulator CenR, and BMEI0067, which encodes a cAMP-dependent protein kinase regulatory subunit, has been predicted to exist in many bacterial species. However, little is known about the function of this operon. In order to characterize this operon and assess its role in virulence, we constructed a marked deletion mutant of BMEI0066. The mutant was less able to withstand hyperosmotic conditions than wild-type (16M), but showed no significant difference with 16M when challenged by H₂O₂. The mutant also showed increased sensitivity to elevated temperature (42°C) and a reduced survival ratio under acidic conditions compared with 16M. The mutant failed to replicate in cultured murine macrophages and was rapidly cleared from the spleens of experimentally infected BALB/c mice. These findings suggest that these operon products make an important contribution to pathogenesis in mice, probably by allowing B. melitensis to adapt to the harsh environment encountered within host macrophages.     

A型链球菌（GAS）毒素调控因子及其调控机制

A型链球菌是一类革兰氏阳性病原菌,其产生的多种毒素因子是导致人体多重感染的重要原因。这些菌毒素因子的表达直接或间接地受多个毒素调控系统调控,各个调控系统之间存在相互关联并对病原菌与宿主的相互作用产生影响。干扰毒素的产生或调控通路对于发展特异的抗A型链球菌感染药物具有重要的意义。     

The signalling mucin Msb2 regulates surface sensing and host penetration via BMP1 MAP kinase signalling in Botrytis cinerea

Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic fungus that infects a wide range of fruit, vegetable and flower crops. Penetration of the host cuticle occurs via infection structures that are formed in response to appropriate plant surface signals. The differentiation of these structures requires a highly conserved mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade including the MAP kinase BMP1. In yeast and several plant‐pathogenic fungi, the signalling mucin Msb2 has been shown to be involved in surface recognition and MAP kinase activation. In this study, a B. cinerea msb2 mutant was generated and characterized. The mutant showed normal growth, sporulation, sclerotia formation and stress resistance. In the absence of nutrients, abnormal germination with multiple germ tubes was observed. In the presence of sugars, normal germination occurred, but msb2 germlings were almost unable to form appressoria or infection cushions on hard surfaces. Nevertheless, the msb2 mutant showed only a moderate delay in lesion formation on different host plants, and formed expanding lesions similar to the wild‐type. Although the wild‐type showed increasing BMP1 phosphorylation during the first hours of germination on hard surfaces, the phosphorylation levels in the msb2 mutant were strongly reduced. Several genes encoding secreted proteins were found to be co‐regulated by BMP1 and Msb2 during germination. Taken together, B. cinerea Msb2 is likely to represent a hard surface sensor of germlings and hyphae that triggers infection structure formation via the activation of the BMP1 MAP kinase pathway.     

在ipt-GUS转基因拟南芥中双组分信号传导基因应答体内细胞分裂素的增加

ipt—GUS转录融合基因在拟南芥植物中表达,其体内细胞分裂素的含量可达到野生型的20-30倍。从拟南芥种子萌发后的6、12、20和30d四个时间分析了植物体内细胞分裂素含量的提高对其双组分信号传导系统中基因的影响。研究发现：细胞分裂素受体基因CRE1比CKI1基因更容易被增加的植物细胞分裂素诱导表达。拟南芥植物细胞分裂素反应调节基因ARR4和ARR5在植物发育的不同时期应答植物体内增加的植物细胞分裂素,ARR4的应答反应比ARR5早,种子萌发后的第6天幼苗真叶形成初期,ARR4基因被明显涛导;而ARR5的应答反应在幼苗真叶形成后的几个时间段均能检测到,并且在种子萌发后的第20天,花枝形成开始时特别明显。在双组分信号传导途径中,从受体到反应调节基因传导磷酸基团的传导基因AHP4在幼苗发育的后期种子萌发后的第20和30天,应答植物体内增加的植物细胞分裂素,并且在花枝形成初期比较明显。     

革兰氏阴性菌IX型分泌系统的研究进展

IX型分泌系统(Type IX Secretion System,T9SS)是一种最新发现的存在于许多革兰氏阴性细菌中的分泌系统。T9SS参与细菌的毒力和滑行运动及复杂生物聚合物的降解过程。近年来,与T9SS相关的研究一直都是微生物学领域关注的热点。本文就T9SS的发现、组成与结构、分泌机制及调控机制等方面的研究进展进行综述,以期为进一步解析细菌的T9SS提供新的思路。