Mab_3083c Is a Homologue of RNase J and Plays a Role in Colony Morphotype, Aggregation, and Sliding Motility of Mycobacterium abscessus

Abstract

Mycobacterium abscessus is an opportunistic pathogen causing human diseases, especially in immunocompromised patients. M. abscessus strains with a rough morphotype are more virulent than those with a smooth morphotype. Morphotype switch may occur during a clinical infection. To investigate the genes involved in colony morphotype switching, we performed transposon mutagenesis in a rough clinical strain of M. abscessus. A morphotype switching mutant (smooth) named mab_3083c::Tn was obtained. This mutant was found to have a lower aggregative ability and a higher sliding motility than the wild type strain. However, its glycopeptidolipid (GPL) content remained the same as those of the wild type. Complementation of the mutant with a functional mab_3083c gene reverted its morphotype back to rough, indicating that mab_3083c is associated with colony morphology of M. abscessus. Bioinformatic analyses showed that mab_3083c has a 75.4% identity in amino acid sequence with the well-characterized ribonuclease J (RNase J) of M. smegmatis (RNase JMsmeg). Complementation of the mutant with the RNase J gene of M. smegmatis also switched its colony morphology from smooth back to rough. These results suggest that Mab_3083c is a homologue of RNase J and involved in regulating M. abscessus colony morphotype switching.

Loss of RNase J leads to multi-drug tolerance and accumulation of highly structured mRNA fragments in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

“…In M . abscessus , deletion of the rnj gene (MAB_3083c) resulted in changes in colony morphology, biofilm formation, and sliding motility [ 70 ]. However, the role of this nuclease in mycobacterial mRNA metabolism remained elusive.…”

“…Previous work also implicated RNase J as having roles in rRNA processing in M. smegmatis [23]. In M. abscessus, deletion of the rnj gene (MAB_3083c) resulted in changes in colony morphology, biofilm formation, and sliding motility [70]. However, the role of this nuclease in mycobacterial mRNA metabolism PLOS PATHOGENS remained elusive.…”

Loss of RNase J leads to multi-drug tolerance and accumulation of highly structured mRNA fragments in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

“…In M. abscessus, deletion of the rnj gene (MAB_3083c) resulted in changes in colony morphology, biofilm formation, and sliding motility (Liu et al, 2021). However, the role of this nuclease in mycobacterial mRNA metabolism remained elusive.…”

“…Previous work also implicated RNase J as having roles in rRNA processing in M. smegmatis (Taverniti et al ., 2011). In M. abscessus , deletion of the rnj gene (MAB_3083c) resulted in changes in colony morphology, biofilm formation, and sliding motility (Liu et al ., 2021). However, the role of this nuclease in mycobacterial mRNA metabolism remained elusive.…”

Sliding bacteria: a method of passive spread without using of flagella and pili (review)

“…Тем не менее, судя по последним данным, за способность к скольжению микобактерий ответственны не только гликопептидолипиды. Так, мутантный штамм Mycobacterium abscessus mab_3083c::Tn, с гладким морфотипом, скользил быстрее штамма дикого типа, но не отличался по уровню содержания гликопептидолипидов [Liu et al, 2021]. Кроме того, установлено, что биогенные полиамины, присутствующие в окружающей среде, способны менять поверхностный заряд бактерий M. smegmatis, не влияя на гидрофобность клеточной стенки.…”