Reversible phosphorylation is a key mechanism that regulates many cellular processes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In prokaryotes, signal transduction includes two-component signaling systems, which involve a membrane sensor histidine kinase and a cognate DNA-binding response regulator. Several recent studies indicate that alternative regulatory pathways controlled by Hanks-type serine/threonine kinases (STKs) and serine/threonine phosphatases (STPs) also play an essential role in regulation of many different processes in bacteria, such as growth and cell division, cell wall biosynthesis, sporulation, biofilm formation, stress response, metabolic and developmental processes, as well as interactions (either pathogenic or symbiotic) with higher host organisms. Since these enzymes are not DNA-binding proteins, they exert the regulatory role via post-translational modifications of their protein targets. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of STKs and STPs, and discuss how these enzymes mediate gene expression in prokaryotes. Many studies indicate that regulatory systems based on Hanks-type STKs and STPs play an essential role in the regulation of various cellular processes, by reversibly phosphorylating many protein targets, among them several regulatory proteins of other signaling cascades. These data show high complexity of bacterial regulatory network, in which the crosstalk between STK/STP signaling enzymes, components of TCSs, and the translational machinery occurs. In this regulation, the STK/STP systems have been proved to play important roles.

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii is a soil bacterium capable of establishing a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with clover plants (Trifolium spp.). This bacterium secretes large amounts of acidic exopolysaccharide (EPS), which plays an essential role in the symbiotic interaction with the host plant. This polymer is biosynthesized by a multi-enzymatic complex located in the bacterial inner membrane, whose components are encoded by a large chromosomal gene cluster, called Pss-I. In this study, we characterize R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii strain Rt297 that harbors a Tn5 transposon insertion located in the pssZ gene from the Pss-I region. This gene codes for a protein that shares high identity with bacterial serine/threonine protein phosphatases. We demonstrated that the pssZ mutation causes pleiotropic effects in rhizobial cells. Strain Rt297 exhibited several physiological and symbiotic defects, such as lack of EPS production, reduced growth kinetics and motility, altered cell-surface properties, and failure to infect the host plant. These data indicate that the protein encoded by the pssZ gene is indispensable for EPS synthesis, but also required for proper functioning of R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii cells.

Symbiotic bacteria, commonly called rhizobia, lead a saprophytic lifestyle in the soil and form nitrogen-fixing nodules on legume roots. During their lifecycle, rhizobia have to adapt to different conditions prevailing in the soils and within host plants. To survive under these conditions, rhizobia fine-tune the regulatory machinery to respond rapidly and adequately to environmental changes. Symbiotic bacteria play an essential role in the soil environment from both ecological and economical point of view, since these bacteria provide Fabaceae plants (legumes) with large amounts of accessible nitrogen as a result of symbiotic interactions (i.e., rhizobia present within the nodule reduce atmospheric dinitrogen (N 2 ) to ammonia, which can be utilized by plants). Because of its restricted availability in the soil, nitrogen is one of the most limiting factors for plant growth. In spite of its high content in the atmosphere, plants are not able to assimilate it directly in the N 2 form. During symbiosis, rhizobia infect host root and trigger the development of specific plant organ, the nodule. The aim of root nodule formation is to ensure a microaerobic environment, which is essential for proper activity of nitrogenase, i.e., a key enzyme facilitating N 2 fixation. To adapt to various lifestyles and environmental stresses, rhizobia have developed several regulatory mechanisms, e.g., reversible phosphorylation. This key mechanism regulates many processes in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. In microorganisms, signal transduction includes two-component systems (TCSs), which involve membrane sensor histidine kinases (HKs) and cognate DNA-binding response regulators (RRs). Furthermore, regulatory mechanisms based on phosphoenolopyruvate-dependent phosphotranspherase systems (PTSs), as well as alternative regulatory pathways controlled by Hanks-type serine/threonine kinases (STKs) and serine/threonine phosphatases (STPs) play an important role in regulation of many cellular processes in both free-living bacteria and during symbiosis with the host plant (e.g., growth and cell division, envelope biogenesis, biofilm formation, response to stress conditions, and regulation of metabolism). In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of phosphorylation systems in symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and their role in the physiology of rhizobial cells and adaptation to various environmental conditions. How to cite this article Lipa P, Janczarek M. 2020. Phosphorylation systems in symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria and their role in bacterial adaptation to various environmental stresses. PeerJ 8:e8466 http://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8466 galactoglucan biosynthesis in Sinorhizobium meliloti by differential WggR (ExpG)-, PhoB-, and MucR-dependent regulation of two promoters. Journal of Bacteriology Specific amino acid substitutions in the proline-rich motif of the Rhizobium meliloti ExoP protein result in enhanced production of lowmolecular-weight succinoglycan at the expense of high-molecular-weight succinoglycan. -J. 2017...

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii is a soil bacterium that establishes symbiosis with clover (Trifolium spp.) under nitrogen-limited conditions. This microorganism produces exopolysaccharide (EPS), which plays an important role in symbiotic interactions with the host plant. The aim of the current study was to establish the role of EPS in the response of R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii cells, free-living and during symbiosis, to zinc stress. We show that EPS-deficient mutants were more sensitive to Zn exposure than EPS-producing strains, and that EPS overexpression conferred some protection onto the strains beyond that observed in the wild type. Exposure of the bacteria to Zn ions stimulated EPS and biofilm production, and increased cell hydrophobicity. However, zinc stress negatively affected the motility and attachment of bacteria to clover roots, as well as the symbiosis with the host plant. In the presence of Zn ions, cell viability, root attachment, biofilm formation and symbiotic efficiency of EPS-overproducing strains were significantly higher than those of the EPS-deficient mutants. We conclude that EPS plays an important role in the adaptation of rhizobia to zinc stress, in both the free-living stage and during symbiosis.

One of the major challenges faced by modern nephrology is the identification of biomarkers associated with histopathological patterns or defined pathogenic mechanisms that may assist in the non-invasive diagnosis of kidney disease, particularly glomerulopathy. The identification of such molecules may allow prognostic subgroups to be established based on the type of disease, thereby predicting response to treatment or disease relapse. Advances in understanding the pathogenesis of diseases, such as membranous nephropathy, minimal change disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, IgA (immunoglobulin A) nephropathy, and diabetic nephropathy, along with the progressive development and standardization of plasma and urine proteomics techniques, have facilitated the identification of an increasing number of molecules that may be useful for these purposes. The growing number of studies on the role of TLR (toll-like receptor) receptors in the pathogenesis of kidney disease forces contemporary researchers to reflect on these molecules, which may soon join the group of renal biomarkers and become a helpful tool in the diagnosis of glomerulopathy. In this article, we conducted a thorough review of the literature on the role of TLRs in the pathogenesis of glomerulopathy. The role of TLR receptors as potential marker molecules for the development of neoplastic diseases is emphasized more and more often, as prognostic factors in diseases on several epidemiological backgrounds.

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii is a soil bacterium capable of establishing a symbiotic relationship with clover (Trifolium spp.). Previously, the rosR gene, encoding a global regulatory protein involved in motility, synthesis of cell-surface components, and other cellular processes was identified and characterized in this bacterium. This gene possesses a long upstream region that contains several regulatory motifs, including inverted repeats (IRs) of different lengths. So far, the role of these motifs in the regulation of rosR transcription has not been elucidated in detail. In this study, we performed a functional analysis of these motifs using a set of transcriptional rosR-lacZ fusions that contain mutations in these regions. The levels of rosR transcription for different mutant variants were evaluated in R. leguminosarum using both quantitative real-time PCR and β-galactosidase activity assays. Moreover, the stability of wild type rosR transcripts and those with mutations in the regulatory motifs was determined using an RNA decay assay and plasmids with mutations in different IRs located in the 5′-untranslated region of the gene. The results show that transcription of rosR undergoes complex regulation, in which several regulatory elements located in the upstream region and some regulatory proteins are engaged. These include an upstream regulatory element, an extension of the -10 element containing three nucleotides TGn (TGn-extended -10 element), several IRs, and PraR repressor related to quorum sensing.

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii is a soil bacterium capable of establishing symbiotic associations with clover plants (Trifolium spp.). Surface polysaccharides, transport systems, and extracellular components synthesized by this bacterium are required for both the adaptation to changing environmental conditions and successful infection of host plant roots. The pssZ gene located in the Pss-I region, which is involved in the synthesis of extracellular polysaccharide, encodes a protein belonging to the group of serine/threonine protein phosphatases. In this study, a comparative transcriptomic analysis of R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii wild-type strain Rt24.2 and its derivative Rt297 carrying a pssZ mutation was performed. RNA-Seq data identified a large number of genes differentially expressed in these two backgrounds. Transcriptome profiling of the pssZ mutant revealed a role of the PssZ protein in several cellular processes, including cell signalling, transcription regulation, synthesis of cell-surface polysaccharides and components, and bacterial metabolism. In addition, we show that inactivation of pssZ affects the rhizobial ability to grow in the presence of different sugars and at various temperatures, as well as the production of different surface polysaccharides. In conclusion, our results identified a set of genes whose expression was affected by PssZ and confirmed the important role of this protein in the rhizobial regulatory network.