scholarly journals The Carboxy-Terminal Region ofFlavobacterium johnsoniaeSprB Facilitates Its Secretion by the Type IX Secretion System and Propulsion by the Gliding Motility Machinery

2019 ◽  
Vol 201 (19) ◽  
Author(s):  
Surashree S. Kulkarni ◽  
Joseph J. Johnston ◽  
Yongtao Zhu ◽  
Zachary T. Hying ◽  
Mark J. McBride
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Cell Surface ◽  
Type A ◽  
Secretion System ◽  
Gliding Motility ◽  
Foreign Protein ◽  
Type B ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Type Ix Secretion System

ABSTRACTFlavobacterium johnsoniaeSprB moves rapidly along the cell surface, resulting in gliding motility. SprB secretion requires the type IX secretion system (T9SS). Proteins secreted by the T9SS typically have conserved C-terminal domains (CTDs) belonging to the type A CTD or type B CTD family. Attachment of 70- to 100-amino-acid type A CTDs to a foreign protein allows its secretion. Type B CTDs are common but have received little attention. Secretion of the foreign protein superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) fused to regions spanning the SprB type B CTD (sfGFP-CTDSprB) was analyzed. CTDs of 218 amino acids or longer resulted in secretion of sfGFP, whereas a 149-amino-acid region did not. Some sfGFP was secreted in soluble form, whereas the rest was attached on the cell surface. Surface-attached sfGFP was rapidly propelled along the cell, suggesting productive interaction with the motility machinery. This did not result in rapid cell movement, which apparently requires additional regions of SprB. Secretion of sfGFP-CTDSprBrequired coexpression withsprF, which lies downstream ofsprB. SprF is similar in sequence toPorphyromonas gingivalisPorP. MostF. johnsoniaegenes encoding proteins with type B CTDs lie immediately upstream ofporP/sprF-like genes. sfGFP was fused to the type B CTD from one such protein (Fjoh_3952). This resulted in secretion of sfGFP only when it was coexpressed with its cognate PorP/SprF-like protein. These results highlight the need for extended regions of type B CTDs and for coexpression with the appropriate PorP/SprF-like protein for efficient secretion and cell surface localization of cargo proteins.IMPORTANCETheF. johnsoniaegliding motility adhesin SprB is delivered to the cell surface by the type IX secretion system (T9SS) and is rapidly propelled along the cell by the motility machinery. How this 6,497-amino-acid protein interacts with the secretion and motility machines is not known. Fusion of the C-terminal 218 amino acids of SprB to a foreign cargo protein resulted in its secretion, attachment to the cell surface, and rapid movement by the motility machinery. Efficient secretion of SprB required coexpression with the outer membrane protein SprF. Secreted proteins that have sequence similarity to SprB in their C-terminal regions are common in the phylumBacteroidetesand may have roles in adhesion, motility, and virulence.

scholarly journals Flavobacterium johnsoniae PorV Is Required for Secretion of a Subset of Proteins Targeted to the Type IX Secretion System

2014 ◽  
Vol 197 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sampada S. Kharade ◽  
Mark J. McBride
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Secretion System ◽  
Gliding Motility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Flavobacterium Johnsoniae ◽  
Protein Secretion System ◽  
Surface Motility ◽  
Type Ix Secretion System ◽  
Carboxy Terminal ◽  
Novel Protein

Flavobacterium johnsoniaeexhibits gliding motility and digests many polysaccharides, including chitin. A novel protein secretion system, the type IX secretion system (T9SS), is required for gliding and chitin utilization. The T9SS secretes the cell surface motility adhesins SprB and RemA and the chitinase ChiA. Proteins involved in secretion by the T9SS include GldK, GldL, GldM, GldN, SprA, SprE, and SprT.Porphyromonas gingivalishas orthologs for each of these that are required for secretion of gingipain protease virulence factors by its T9SS.P. gingivalisporUandporVhave also been linked to T9SS-mediated secretion, andF. johnsoniaehas orthologs of these. Mutations inF. johnsoniaeporUandporVwere constructed to determine if they function in secretion. Cells of aporVdeletion mutant were deficient in chitin utilization and failed to secrete ChiA. They were also deficient in secretion of the motility adhesin RemA but retained the ability to secrete SprB. SprB is involved in gliding motility and is needed for formation of spreading colonies on agar, and theporVmutant exhibited gliding motility and formed spreading colonies. However, theporVmutant was partially deficient in attachment to glass, apparently because of the absence of RemA and other adhesins on the cell surface. TheporVmutant also appeared to be deficient in secretion of numerous other proteins that have carboxy-terminal domains associated with targeting to the T9SS. PorU was not required for secretion of ChiA, RemA, or SprB, indicating that it does not play an essential role in theF. johnsoniaeT9SS.

scholarly journals Involvement of the Type IX Secretion System in Capnocytophaga ochracea Gliding Motility and Biofilm Formation

2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (6) ◽  
pp. 1756-1766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daichi Kita ◽  
Satoshi Shibata ◽  
Yuichiro Kikuchi ◽  
Eitoyo Kokubu ◽  
Koji Nakayama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Secretion System ◽  
Gliding Motility ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Bacterial Cells ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Type Ix Secretion System

ABSTRACTCapnocytophaga ochraceais a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that demonstrates gliding motility when cultured on solid agar surfaces.C. ochraceapossesses the ability to form biofilms; however, factors involved in biofilm formation by this bacterium are unclear. A type IX secretion system (T9SS) inFlavobacterium johnsoniaewas shown to be involved in the transport of proteins (e.g., several adhesins) to the cell surface. Genes orthologous to those encoding T9SS proteins inF. johnsoniaehave been identified in the genome ofC. ochracea; therefore, the T9SS may be involved in biofilm formation byC. ochracea. Here we constructed three ortholog-deficientC. ochraceamutants lackingsprB(which encodes a gliding motility adhesin) orgldKorsprT(which encode T9SS proteins inF. johnsoniae). Gliding motility was lost in each mutant, suggesting that, inC. ochracea, the proteins encoded bysprB,gldK, andsprTare necessary for gliding motility, and SprB is transported to the cell surface by the T9SS. For the ΔgldK, ΔsprT, and ΔsprBstrains, the amounts of crystal violet-associated biofilm, relative to wild-type values, were 49%, 34%, and 65%, respectively, at 48 h. Confocal laser scanning and scanning electron microscopy revealed that the biofilms formed by wild-typeC. ochraceawere denser and bacterial cells were closer together than in those formed by the mutant strains. Together, these results indicate that proteins exported by the T9SS are key elements of the gliding motility and biofilm formation ofC. ochracea.

scholarly journals In situ structure and organisation of the type IX secretion system

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
DG Gorasia ◽  
G Chreifi ◽  
CA Seers ◽  
CA Butler ◽  
JE Heath ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Electron Tomography ◽  
Secretion System ◽  
Gliding Motility ◽  
Type B ◽  
Surface Attachment ◽  
Flavobacterium Johnsoniae ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Type Ix Secretion System

AbstractThe Bacteroidetes type IX secretion system (T9SS) consists of at least 19 components that translocate proteins with a type A or type B C-terminal domain (CTD) signal across the outer membrane. The overall organisation and architecture of this system including how the secretion pore (Sov) interacts with the other components is unknown. We used cryo-electron tomography to obtain the first images of the T9SS including PorK/N rings inside intact Porphyromonas gingivalis cells. Using proteomics, we identified a novel complex between Sov, PorV and PorA and showed that Sov interacts with the PorK/N rings via PorW and a new component PGN_1783. A separate complex comprising the outer membrane β-barrel protein PorP, PorE, and the type B CTD protein PG1035 was also identified. Similarly, the Flavobacterium johnsoniae PorP-like protein, SprF was found bound to the major gliding motility adhesin, SprB. Based on these data, we propose cell surface anchorage for type B CTD proteins to PorP-like proteins and a unique model where the PorK/N rings function as an outer membrane barrier to maintain the close proximity of the translocon to the shuttle and attachment complexes inside the rings, ensuring the harmonized secretion and cell surface attachment of the T9SS substrates.

scholarly journals Type IX Secretion System Cargo Proteins Are Glycosylated at the C Terminus with a Novel Linking Sugar of the Wbp/Vim Pathway

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Veith ◽  
Mikio Shoji ◽  
Richard A. J. O’Hair ◽  
Michael G. Leeming ◽  
Shuai Nie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Porphyromonas Gingivalis ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathway ◽  
Secretion System ◽  
Tannerella Forsythia ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Content Type ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Cargo Proteins ◽  
Type Ix Secretion System

ABSTRACT Porphyromonas gingivalis and Tannerella forsythia use the type IX secretion system to secrete cargo proteins to the cell surface where they are anchored via glycolipids. In P. gingivalis, the glycolipid is anionic lipopolysaccharide (A-LPS), of partially known structure. Modified cargo proteins were deglycosylated using trifluoromethanesulfonic acid and digested with trypsin or proteinase K. The residual modifications were then extensively analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry. The C terminus of each cargo protein was amide-bonded to a linking sugar whose structure was deduced to be 2-N-seryl, 3-N-acetylglucuronamide in P. gingivalis and 2-N-glycyl, 3-N-acetylmannuronic acid in T. forsythia. The structures indicated the involvement of the Wbp pathway to produce 2,3-di-N-acetylglucuronic acid and a WbpS amidotransferase to produce the uronamide form of this sugar in P. gingivalis. The wbpS gene was identified as PGN_1234 as its deletion resulted in the inability to produce the uronamide. In addition, the P. gingivalis vimA mutant which lacks A-LPS was successfully complemented by the T. forsythia vimA gene; however, the linking sugar was altered to include glycine rather than serine. After removal of the acetyl group at C-2 by the putative deacetylase, VimE, VimA presumably transfers the amino acid to complete the biosynthesis. The data explain all the enzyme activities required for the biosynthesis of the linking sugar accounting for six A-LPS-specific genes. The linking sugar is therefore the key compound that enables the attachment of cargo proteins in P. gingivalis and T. forsythia. We propose to designate this novel linking sugar biosynthetic pathway the Wbp/Vim pathway. IMPORTANCE Porphyromonas gingivalis and Tannerella forsythia, two pathogens associated with severe gum disease, use the type IX secretion system (T9SS) to secrete and attach toxic arrays of virulence factor proteins to their cell surfaces. The proteins are tethered to the outer membrane via glycolipid anchors that have remained unidentified for more than 2 decades. In this study, the first sugar molecules (linking sugars) in these anchors are identified and found to be novel compounds. The novel biosynthetic pathway of these linking sugars is also elucidated. A diverse range of bacteria that do not have the T9SS were found to have the genes for this pathway, suggesting that they may synthesize similar linking sugars for utilization in different systems. Since the cell surface attachment of virulence factors is essential for virulence, these findings reveal new targets for the development of novel therapies.

scholarly journals The Type IX Secretion System: Advances in Structure, Function and Organisation

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 1173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dhana G. Gorasia ◽  
Paul D. Veith ◽  
Eric C. Reynolds
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Structure Function ◽  
Secretion System ◽  
Gliding Motility ◽  
Flavobacterium Johnsoniae ◽  
Bacteroidetes Phylum ◽  
Transcription Regulators ◽  
Type Ix Secretion System ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Made In

The type IX secretion system (T9SS) is specific to the Bacteroidetes phylum. Porphyromonas gingivalis, a keystone pathogen for periodontitis, utilises the T9SS to transport many proteins—including its gingipain virulence factors—across the outer membrane and attach them to the cell surface. Additionally, the T9SS is also required for gliding motility in motile organisms, such as Flavobacterium johnsoniae. At least nineteen proteins have been identified as components of the T9SS, including the three transcription regulators, PorX, PorY and SigP. Although the components are known, the overall organisation and the molecular mechanism of how the T9SS operates is largely unknown. This review focusses on the recent advances made in the structure, function, and organisation of the T9SS machinery to provide further insight into this highly novel secretion system.

scholarly journals Untangling Flavobacterium johnsoniae Gliding Motility and Protein Secretion

2017 ◽  
Vol 200 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph J. Johnston ◽  
Abhishek Shrivastava ◽  
Mark J. McBride
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Protein Secretion ◽  
Secretion System ◽  
Gliding Motility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Flavobacterium Johnsoniae ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Surface Localization ◽  
Protein Secretion System

ABSTRACTFlavobacterium johnsoniaeexhibits rapid gliding motility over surfaces. At least 20 genes are involved in this process. Seven of these,gldK,gldL,gldM,gldN,sprA,sprE, andsprT, encode proteins of the type IX protein secretion system (T9SS). The T9SS is required for surface localization of the motility adhesins SprB and RemA, and for secretion of the soluble chitinase ChiA. Here, we demonstrate that the gliding motility proteins GldA, GldB, GldD, GldF, GldH, GldI, and GldJ are also essential for secretion. Cells with mutations in the genes encoding any of these seven proteins had normal levels ofgldKmRNA but dramatically reduced levels of the GldK protein, which may explain the secretion defects of the motility mutants. GldJ is necessary for stable accumulation of GldK, and each mutant lacked the GldJ protein.F. johnsoniaecells that produced truncated GldJ, lacking eight to 13 amino acids from the C terminus, accumulated GldK but were deficient in gliding motility. SprB was secreted by these cells but was not propelled along their surfaces. This C-terminal region of GldJ is thus required for gliding motility but not for secretion. The identification of mutants that are defective for motility but competent for secretion begins to untangle theF. johnsoniaegliding motility machinery from the T9SS.IMPORTANCEMany members of the phylumBacteroidetessecrete proteins using T9SSs. T9SSs appear to be confined to members of this phylum. Many of these bacteria also glide rapidly over surfaces using a motility machine that is also confined to theBacteroidetesand appears to be intertwined with the T9SS. This study identifiesF. johnsoniaeproteins that are required for both T9SS function and gliding motility. It also provides an explanation for the link between secretion and gliding and identifies mutants with defects in motility but not secretion.

scholarly journals PorZ, an Essential Component of the Type IX Secretion System of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Delivers Anionic Lipopolysaccharide to the PorU Sortase for Transpeptidase Processing of T9SS Cargo Proteins

mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariusz Madej ◽  
Zuzanna Nowakowska ◽  
Miroslaw Ksiazek ◽  
Anna M. Lasica ◽  
Danuta Mizgalska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Porphyromonas Gingivalis ◽  
Secretion System ◽  
Carbohydrate Binding ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Essential Component ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Cargo Proteins ◽  
Type Ix Secretion System

ABSTRACT Cargo proteins of the type IX secretion system (T9SS) in human pathogens from the Bacteroidetes phylum invariably possess a conserved C-terminal domain (CTD) that functions as a signal for outer membrane (OM) translocation. In Porphyromonas gingivalis, the CTD of cargos is cleaved off after translocation, and anionic lipopolysaccharide (A-LPS) is attached. This transpeptidase reaction anchors secreted proteins to the OM. PorZ, a cell surface-associated protein, is an essential component of the T9SS whose function was previously unknown. We recently solved the crystal structure of PorZ and found that it consists of two β-propeller moieties, followed by a CTD. In this study, we performed structure-based modeling, suggesting that PorZ is a carbohydrate-binding protein. Indeed, we found that recombinant PorZ specifically binds A-LPS in vitro. Binding was blocked by monoclonal antibodies that specifically react with a phosphorylated branched mannan in the anionic polysaccharide (A-PS) component of A-LPS, but not with the core oligosaccharide or the lipid A endotoxin. Examination of A-LPS derived from a cohort of mutants producing various truncations of A-PS confirmed that the phosphorylated branched mannan is indeed the PorZ ligand. Moreover, purified recombinant PorZ interacted with the PorU sortase in an A-LPS-dependent manner. This interaction on the cell surface is crucial for the function of the “attachment complex” composed of PorU, PorZ, and the integral OM β-barrel proteins PorV and PorQ, which is involved in posttranslational modification and retention of T9SS cargos on the bacterial surface. IMPORTANCE Bacteria have evolved multiple systems to transport effector proteins to their surface or into the surrounding milieu. These proteins have a wide range of functions, including attachment, motility, nutrient acquisition, and toxicity in the host. Porphyromonas gingivalis, the human pathogen responsible for severe gum diseases (periodontitis), uses a recently characterized type IX secretion system (T9SS) to translocate and anchor secreted virulence effectors to the cell surface. Anchorage is facilitated by sortase, an enzyme that covalently attaches T9SS cargo proteins to a unique anionic lipopolysaccharide (A-LPS) moiety of P. gingivalis. Here, we show that the T9SS component PorZ interacts with sortase and specifically binds A-LPS. Binding is mediated by a phosphorylated branched mannan repeat in A-LPS polysaccharide. A-LPS-bound PorZ interacts with sortase with significantly higher affinity, facilitating modification of cargo proteins by the cell surface attachment complex of the T9SS.

scholarly journals Cytophaga hutchinsonii SprA and SprT Are Essential Components of the Type IX Secretion System Required for Ca2+ Acquisition, Cellulose Degradation, and Cell Motility

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lijuan Gao ◽  
Yahong Tan ◽  
Weican Zhang ◽  
Qingsheng Qi ◽  
Xuemei Lu
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Protein Secretion ◽  
Cellulose Degradation ◽  
Secretion System ◽  
Gliding Motility ◽  
Uptake System ◽  
Cytophaga Hutchinsonii ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Single Deletion ◽  
Type Ix Secretion System

The type IX secretion system (T9SS) is a novel protein secretion system, which is found in and confined to the phylum Bacteroidetes. T9SS is involved in the secretion of virulence factors, cell surface adhesins, and complex biopolymer degrading enzymes to the cell surface or extracellular medium. Cytophaga hutchinsonii is a widely distributed bacterium, which is able to efficiently digest cellulose and rapidly glide along the solid surfaces. C. hutchinsonii has a full set of orthologs of T9SS components. However, the functions of most homologous proteins have not been verified. In C. hutchinsonii, CHU_0029 and CHU_2709 are similar in sequence to Flavobacterium johnsoniae T9SS components SprA and SprT, respectively. In this study, the single deletion mutants of chu_0029 (sprA) and chu_2709 (sprT) were obtained using a complex medium with the addition of Ca2+ and Mg2+. Single deletion of sprA or sprT resulted in defects in cellulose utilization and gliding motility. Moreover, the ΔsprA and ΔsprT mutants showed growth defects in Ca2+- and Mg2+-deficient media. The results of ICP-MS test showed that both the whole cell and intracellular concentrations of Ca2+ were dramatically reduced in the ΔsprA and ΔsprT mutants, indicating that SprA and SprT are both important for the assimilation of trace amount of Ca2+. While the assimilation of Mg2+ was not obviously influenced in the ΔsprA and ΔsprT mutants. Through proteomics analysis of the cell surface proteins of the wild type and mutants, we found that the ΔsprA and ΔsprT mutants were defective in secretion of the majority of T9SS substrates. Together, these results indicate that SprA and SprT are both essential components of C. hutchinsonii T9SS, which is required for protein secretion, Ca2+ acquisition, cellulose degradation, and gliding motility in C. hutchinsonii. Our study shed more light on the functions of SprA and SprT in T9SS, and further proved the link between the T9SS and Ca2+ uptake system.

scholarly journals Diverse C-Terminal Sequences Involved in Flavobacterium johnsoniae Protein Secretion

2017 ◽  
Vol 199 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Surashree S. Kulkarni ◽  
Yongtao Zhu ◽  
Colton J. Brendel ◽  
Mark J. McBride
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Outer Membrane ◽  
Protein Secretion ◽  
Type A ◽  
Type B ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Amino Terminal ◽  
The Family ◽  
Carboxy Terminal ◽  
Terminal Domains

ABSTRACT Flavobacterium johnsoniae and many related bacteria secrete proteins across the outer membrane using the type IX secretion system (T9SS). Proteins secreted by T9SSs have amino-terminal signal peptides for export across the cytoplasmic membrane by the Sec system and carboxy-terminal domains (CTDs) targeting them for secretion across the outer membrane by the T9SS. Most but not all T9SS CTDs belong to the family TIGR04183 (type A CTDs). We functionally characterized diverse CTDs for secretion by the F. johnsoniae T9SS. Attachment of the CTDs from F. johnsoniae RemA, AmyB, and ChiA to the foreign superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) that had a signal peptide at the amino terminus resulted in secretion across the outer membrane. In each case, approximately 80 to 100 amino acids from the extreme carboxy termini were needed for efficient secretion. Several type A CTDs from distantly related members of the phylum Bacteroidetes functioned in F. johnsoniae, supporting the secretion of sfGFP by the F. johnsoniae T9SS. F. johnsoniae SprB requires the T9SS for secretion but lacks a type A CTD. It has a conserved C-terminal domain belonging to the family TIGR04131, which we refer to as a type B CTD. The CTD of SprB was required for its secretion, but attachment of C-terminal regions of SprB of up to 1,182 amino acids to sfGFP failed to result in secretion. Additional features outside the C-terminal region of SprB may be required for its secretion. IMPORTANCE Type IX protein secretion systems (T9SSs) are common in but limited to members of the phylum Bacteroidetes. Most proteins that are secreted by T9SSs have conserved carboxy-terminal domains that belong to the protein domain family TIGR04183 (type A CTDs) or TIGR04131 (type B CTDs). Here, we identify features of T9SS CTDs of F. johnsoniae that are required for protein secretion and demonstrate that type A CTDs from distantly related members of the phylum function with the F. johnsoniae T9SS to secrete the foreign protein sfGFP. In contrast, type B CTDs failed to target sfGFP for secretion, suggesting a more complex association with the T9SS.

scholarly journals Tailoring a Global Iron Regulon to a Uropathogen

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajdeep Banerjee ◽  
Erin Weisenhorn ◽  
Kevin J. Schwartz ◽  
Kevin S. Myers ◽  
Jeremy D. Glasner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Urinary Tract ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Regulatory Network ◽  
Iron Homeostasis ◽  
Iron Limitation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
General Stress ◽  
K 12

ABSTRACT Pathogenicity islands and plasmids bear genes for pathogenesis of various Escherichia coli pathotypes. Although there is a basic understanding of the contribution of these virulence factors to disease, less is known about variation in regulatory networks in determining disease phenotypes. Here, we dissected a regulatory network directed by the conserved iron homeostasis regulator, ferric uptake regulator (Fur), in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) strain CFT073. Comparing anaerobic genome-scale Fur DNA binding with Fur-dependent transcript expression and protein levels of the uropathogen to that of commensal E. coli K-12 strain MG1655 showed that the Fur regulon of the core genome is conserved but also includes genes within the pathogenicity/genetic islands. Unexpectedly, regulons indicative of amino acid limitation and the general stress response were also indirectly activated in the uropathogen fur mutant, suggesting that induction of the Fur regulon increases amino acid demand. Using RpoS levels as a proxy, addition of amino acids mitigated the stress. In addition, iron chelation increased RpoS to the same levels as in the fur mutant. The increased amino acid demand of the fur mutant or iron chelated cells was exacerbated by aerobic conditions, which could be partly explained by the O2-dependent synthesis of the siderophore aerobactin, encoded by an operon within a pathogenicity island. Taken together, these data suggest that in the iron-poor environment of the urinary tract, amino acid availability could play a role in the proliferation of this uropathogen, particularly if there is sufficient O2 to produce aerobactin. IMPORTANCE Host iron restriction is a common mechanism for limiting the growth of pathogens. We compared the regulatory network controlled by Fur in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) to that of nonpathogenic E. coli K-12 to uncover strategies that pathogenic bacteria use to overcome iron limitation. Although iron homeostasis functions were regulated by Fur in the uropathogen as expected, a surprising finding was the activation of the stringent and general stress responses in the uropathogen fur mutant, which was rescued by amino acid addition. This coordinated global response could be important in controlling growth and survival under nutrient-limiting conditions and during transitions from the nutrient-rich environment of the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract to the more restrictive environment of the urinary tract. The coupling of the response of iron limitation to increased demand for amino acids could be a critical attribute that sets UPEC apart from other E. coli pathotypes.

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