YfdW and YfdU Are Required for Oxalate-Induced Acid Tolerance in Escherichia coli K-12

Abstract

Escherichia coli has several mechanisms for surviving low-pH stress. We report that oxalic acid, a small-chain organic acid (SCOA), induces a moderate acid tolerance response (ATR) in two ways. Adaptation of E. coli K-12 at pH 5.5 with 50 mM oxalate and inclusion of 25 mM oxalate in pH 3.0 minimal challenge medium separately conferred protection, with 67% ؎ 7% and 87% ؎ 17% survival after 2 h, respectively. The combination of oxalate adaptation and oxalate supplementation in the challenge medium resulted in increased survival over adaptation or oxalate in the challenge medium alone. The enzymes YfdW, a formyl coenzyme A (CoA) transferase, and YfdU, an oxalyl-CoA decarboxylase, are required for the adaptation effect but not during challenge. Unlike other SCOAs, this oxalate ATR is not a part of the RpoS regulon but appears to be linked to the signal protein GadE. We theorize that this oxalate ATR could enhance the pathogenesis of virulent E. coli consumed with oxalate-containing foods like spinach.

Influence of general stress-response alternative sigma factors σS (RpoS) and σB (SigB) on bacterial tolerance to the essential oils from Origanum vulgare L. and Rosmarinus officinalis L. and pulsed electric fields

“…The E. coli MG1655 strain was tested because it has been used in physiological studies approaching the bacterial tolerance to antimicrobial compounds or procedures in Gram-negative cells (Minty et al, 2011;Fontenot et al, 2013;Chueca et al, 2015), as well as L. monocytogenes EDG-e has been tested representing Gram-positive cells (van der Veen and Abee, 2010;Somolinos et al, 2010a;Ait-Ouazzou et al, 2012). The rpoS mutant was constructed using P1 phage transduction and was derived from an E. coli single-gene knockout library (Baba et al, 2006).…”

Function and X-Ray crystal structure of Escherichia coli YfdE

“…E. coli encounters constantly changing environments and diverse carboxylic acids that require multiple acid-resistance systems controlled by complex regulatory schemes [16]. The yfdXWUVE operon is regulated by EvgA and required for the oxalate-induced ATR [15], [19]. This study shows that YfdE is acetyl-CoA:oxalate CoA-transferase.…”

“…YfdW and YfdU appear to be required for the oxalate-induced ATR [19]. Arrows indicate the expected physiological direction; only OXC catalyzes an irreversible reaction [13], [73].…”

“…Oxalate elicits a moderate, rpoS -independent acid tolerance response (ATR) that requires both yfdW and yfdU in E. coli [19]. YfdV and YfdE appear to have a secondary role in the oxalate-induced ATR.…”

Genome sequence of the copper resistant and acid-tolerant Desulfosporosinus sp. BG isolated from the tailings of a molybdenum-tungsten mine in the Transbaikal area

“…Phylogenetic analysis shows that the antiporter was likely acquired from Bacillus via lateral gene transfer. Additionally, strain BG has proton-consuming decarboxylases – the arginine decarboxylase (DSBG_RS13090) and the lysine decarboxylase (DSBG_RS07860), which are involved in the mechanism of coping with low pH environment enterobacteria [4]. Orthologous decarboxylases are present in all available Desulfosporosinus genomes.…”