Chemotactic signal transduction and phosphate metabolism as adaptive strategies during citrus canker induction by Xanthomonas citri

Abstract

The genome of Xanthomonas citri subsp. Citri strain 306 pathotype A (Xac) was completely sequenced more than 10 years; to date, few studies involving functional genomics Xac and its host compatible have been developed, specially related to adaptive events that allow the survival of Xac within the plant. Proteomic analysis of Xac showed that the processes of chemotactic signal transduction and phosphate metabolism are key adaptive strategies during the interaction of a pathogenic bacterium with its plant host. The results also indicate the importance of a group of proteins that may not be directly related to the classical virulence factors, but that are likely fundamental to the success of the initial stages of the infection, such as methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein (Mcp) and phosphate specific transport (Pst). Furthermore, the analysis of the mutant of the gene pstB which codifies to an ABC phosphate transporter subunit revealed a complete absence of citrus canker symptoms when inoculated in compatible hosts. We also conducted an in silico analysis which established the possible network of genes regulated by two-component systems PhoPQ and PhoBR (related to phosphate metabolism), and possible transcriptional factor binding site (TFBS) motifs of regulatory proteins PhoB and PhoP, detaching high degree of conservation of PhoB TFBS in 84 genes of Xac genome. This is the first time that chemotaxis signal transduction and phosphate metabolism were therefore indicated to be fundamental to the process of colonization of plant tissue during the induction of disease associated with Xanthomonas genus bacteria.

Comparative Genomic and Phenotypic Characterization of Pathogenic and Non-Pathogenic Strains of Xanthomonas arboricola Reveals Insights into the Infection Process of Bacterial Spot Disease of Stone Fruits

“…MCPs sense beneficial or toxic environmental compounds and transduce the signal to the cytoplasm by CheW protein, causing changes in the flagella direction and rotation speed, which finally guides bacterial cells to favorable environments [54,55]. Here, we have found that the core repertoire of the MCPs in nine genome sequences of X .…”

Post-translational modifications are enriched within protein functional groups important to bacterial adaptation within a deep-sea hydrothermal vent environment

“…4. Some extensively modified proteins included regulators such as PhoR, which regulates PhoBPA to sense phosphate and iron [10]; VicR, which senses osmotic stress [11]; PilR, which is a transcriptional regulator for pilin and other genes required for Fe (III) reduction [12]; and methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein (MCP) and CheW, which are involved in chemotaxis [13]. The F-type ATPase was also found to have unique PTMs.…”

Research Article A Xanthomonas citri subsp citri hypothetical protein related to virulence contains a non-functional HD domain and is implicated in flagellar motility.

“…Two proteins exhibited confidence scores higher than 0.5 for this interaction: FliL and FliM. FliL is a flagellar protein part of flagellar regulon and required for flagellar function (Wolfe and Visick, 2008;Moreira et al, 2015), whereas FliM is a flagellar motor switch protein, one of three proteins (FliG, FliN, FliM) that forms the rotor-mounted switch complex (C ring), located at the base of the basal body (Moreira et al, 2015).…”