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Archives of Microbiology (v.188, #3)

Isolation of transposon mutants and characterization of genes involved in biofilm formation by Pseudomonas fluorescens TC222 by Hongjuan Nian; Jie Zhang; Fuping Song; Liqiang Fan; Dafang Huang (pp. 205-213).

Biofilm formation mutants are often found to have defective or altered motility. The motility phenotype was exploited to identify Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilm formation mutants. Fourteen motility mutants were obtained from P. fluorescens isolate TC222 and eight stable mutants were studied further. The eight transposon insertion mutants showed altered ability to form biofilm compared with the parent. Five Tn5-inserted genes from these mutants were cloned and sequenced. Genetic analysis showed that two insertions were located in genes affecting multiple cell surface characteristics, including lipopolysaccharide (rfbD) and polar flagella (fliR). Three genes encoding for a putative Mig-14 family protein (epsB), a probable bacteriophage signal peptide protein (bspA) and a soluble pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase (pyrA) were reported for the first time to be involved in biofilm formation. Complementation experiments of rfbD and epsB genes proved that biofilm formation of the corresponding mutants could be restored. Further semi-quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed that both rfbD and epsB can express their transcripts much higher in the complemented strains than that in wild-type strains. The transcripts of both genes in their mutants could not be detected.

Keywords: Pseudomonas fluorescens ; Tn5 mutagenesis; Biofilm formation; Complementation; Semi-quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis

Fluctuation in recoverable nickel and zinc resistant copiotrophic bacteria explained by the varying zinc ion content of Torsa River in different months by Bhaskar Bhadra; Ashis Kumar Nanda; Ranadhir Chakraborty (pp. 215-224).

Heavy metal content analysis of River Torsa in India did not indicate any alarming level of toxicity for human consumption but revealed variation at the ppb level in different months. The variation in recoverable nickel and zinc resistant copiotrophic (or eutrophic) bacterial counts was explained by the variation of the zinc content (34.0–691.3 ppb) of the river water in different sampling months. Growth studies conducted with some purified nickel and/or zinc resistant strains revealed that pre-exposure of the cells to ppb levels of Zn²⁺, comparable to the indigenous zinc ion concentration of the river, could induce the nickel or zinc resistance. A minimum concentration of 5–10 μM Zn²⁺(325–650 ppb) was found effective in inducing the Nickel resistance of the isolates. Zinc resistance of the isolates was tested by pre-exposing the cells to 4 μM Zn²⁺(260 ppb). The lag phase was reduced by 6–8 h in all the cases. Biochemical characteristics and phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequence indicated that some of the Torsa River isolates, having inducible nickel and zinc resistance, are members of the genus Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Enterobacter, Serratia and Moraxella.

Keywords: Inducible metal resistance; Torsa River; Ni resistance; Zn resistance; River water bacteria

Effect of thiol redox state modulators on oxidative stress and sclerotial differentiation of the phytopathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani by Nikolaos Patsoukis; Christos D. Georgiou (pp. 225-233).

This study showed that sclerotial differentiation in the filamentous phytopathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani is directly related to oxidative stress and thiol redox state (TRS). Sclerotial differentiation is modulated by the availability of non-cytotoxic −SH groups as was shown by the inhibition of sclerorial differentiation by the TRS modulator N-acetyl cysteine (AcCSH), and not necessarily with those of the TRS reduced components glutathione (GSH) and its precursor cysteine (CSH) as indicated by the GSH-biosynthesis inducer and inhibitor l-2–oxo-thiazolidine-4-carboxylate and l-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine, respectively. Moreover, inhibition of sclerotial differentiation was accompanied by decrease of the high oxidative stress indicators, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage in the mycelial substrate where sclerotia initials are formed, which suggests that this phenomenon is related to oxidative stress as it is predicted by our theory on sclerotial differentiation.

Keywords: Thiol redox state; Oxidative stress; Sclerotial differentiation; DNA damage; Lipid peroxidation

Cell surface structure enhancing uptake of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is induced by PVA in the PVA-utilizing Sphingopyxis sp. strain 113P3 by Xiaoping Hu; Rie Mamoto; Yumi Shimomura; Kazuhide Kimbara; Fusako Kawai (pp. 235-241).

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-utilizing Sphingopyxis sp. 113P3 (reidentified from Sphingomonas sp. 113P3) removed almost 0.5% PVA from culture supernatants in 4 days. Faster degradation of 0.5% PVA was performed by the periplasmic fraction. The average molecular size of PVA in the culture supernatant or cell-bound PVA was gradually shifted higher, suggesting that lower molecular size molecules are degraded faster. Depolymerized products were found in neither the culture supernatant nor the cell-bound fraction; however they were recovered from the periplasmic fraction. As extracellular or cell-associated PVA oxidase activity was almost undetectable in strain 113P3, degradation of PVA must be performed by periplasmic PVA dehydrogenase after uptake into the periplasm. Following the consumption of PVA, a dent appeared on the cell surface on day 2 and increased in size and depth for 4 days and was maintained for 8 days. Ultrastructural change on the cell surface was only observed in PVA medium, but not in nutrient broth (NB), suggesting that the change is induced by PVA. Fluorescein-4-isothiocyanate-labeled PVA was bound more to cells grown in PVA than to cells grown in NB. No binding was found with PVA-grown cells treated with formaldehyde. Thus, a dent on the cell surface seems to be related to the uptake of PVA.

Keywords: Polyvinyl alcohol; Biodegradation of PVA; Sphingopyxis sp. strain 113P3; Cell surface PVA-uptake structure

Identification of the flagellar chaperone FlgN in the phytopathogen Xanthomonas axonopodis pathovar citri by its interaction with hook-associated FlgK by Letícia Khater; Marcos C. Alegria; Paula F. L. Borin; Túlio M. Santos; Cássia Docena; Ljubica Tasic; Chuck S. Farah; Carlos H. I. Ramos (pp. 243-250).

Genome annotation of the plant pathogen Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac), identified flagellar genes in a 15.7 kb gene cluster. However, FlgN, a secretion chaperone for hook-associated proteins FlgK and FlgL, was not identified. We performed extensive screening of the X. axonopodis pv. citri genome with the yeast two-hybrid system to identify a protein with the characteristics of the flagellar chaperone FlgN. We found a candidate (XAC1990) encoded by an operon for components of the flagellum apparatus that interacted with FlgK. In order to further support this finding, Xac FlgK and XAC1990 were cloned, expressed, and purified. The recombinant proteins were characterized by spectroscopic methods and their interaction in vitro confirmed by pull-down assays. We, therefore, conclude that XAC1990 and its homologs in other Xanthomonas species are, in fact, FlgN proteins. These observations extend the sequence diversity covered by this family of proteins.

Keywords: Flagella; FlgN; Secretion chaperone; Protein–protein interaction; Xanthomonas

Characteristics of cell-mediated, anti-listerial immunity induced by a naturally avirulent Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4a strain HCC23 by Dongyou Liu; Mark L. Lawrence; Lesya M. Pinchuk; A. Jerald Ainsworth; Frank W. Austin (pp. 251-256).

The characteristics of cell-mediated, anti-listerial immune response initiated by an avirulent Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4a strain HCC23 was assessed. Similar to virulent strain EGD, avirulent strain HCC23 grew readily within macrophage-like J774 cells, but nonhemolytic strain ATCC 15313 did not. Compared with EGD, HCC23 induced a relatively low level of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) in mice, and ATCC 15313 stimulated no detectable IFN-γ. The percentages of gated CD4 T cells from mice immunized with EGD and HCC23 showed a notable drop (to 30%) at 21 days post exposure in comparison with that (about 50%) from ATCC 15313-injected or untreated mice; and the percentage of gated NK cells from EGD-immunized group was markedly higher than those from other treatment groups. Mice immunized with HCC23 and EGD developed an equally strong protective immunity against listeriosis that was effective in both short and long terms, but those injected with ATCC 15313 or saline succumbed to listeriosis within 6 days of challenge.

Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes ; Avirulent strain; Immunity; Protection; Interferon gamma

Proteome analysis of Streptomyces coelicolor mutants affected in the proteasome system reveals changes in stress-responsive proteins by René De Mot; Geert Schoofs; István Nagy (pp. 257-271).

Prokaryotic 20S proteasomes are confined to archaebacteria and actinomycetes. Bacterial targets of this compartmentalized multi-subunit protease have not yet been identified and its physiological function in prokaryotes remains unknown. In this study, intracellular and extracellular proteomes of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) mutants affected in the structural genes of the 20S proteasome, in the gene encoding the presumed proteasome-accessory AAA ATPase ARC, or in two putative proteasome-associated actinomycete-specific genes (sco1646, sco1647) were analysed, revealing modified patterns of stress-responsive proteins. In addition, the extracellular protease profile of the sco1647 mutant was significantly altered. The most prominent change, common to the four mutants, was a strongly increased level of the non-heme chloroperoxidase SCO0465, coinciding with an increased resistance to cumene hydroperoxide.

Keywords: 20S proteasome; AAA ATPase; Actinomycete; ARC; Haloperoxidase; SCO1646; SCO1647; Stress response

Genetic diversity of rhizobia associated with Vicia faba in three ecological regions of China by Chang Fu Tian; En Tao Wang; Tian Xu Han; Xin Hua Sui; Wen Xin Chen (pp. 273-282).

Great genetic diversity was revealed among 75 rhizobal isolates associated with Vicia faba grown in Chinese fields with AFLP, ARDRA, 16S rDNA sequencing, DNA–DNA hybridization, BOX-PCR and RFLP of PCR-amplified nodD and nodC. Most of the isolates were Rhizobium leguminosarum, and six isolates belonged to an unnamed Rhizobium species. In the homogeneity analysis, the isolates were grouped into three clusters corresponding to (1) autumn sowing (subtropical) region where the winter ecotype of V. faba was cultivated, (2) spring sowing (temperate) region where the spring ecotype was grown, and (3) Yunnan province where the intermediate ecotype was sown either in spring or in autumn. Nonrandom associations were found among the nod genotypes, genomic types and ecological regions, indicating an epidemic symbiotic gene transfer pattern among different genomic backgrounds within an ecological region and a relatively limited transfer pattern between different regions. Conclusively, the present results suggested an endemic population structure of V. faba rhizobia in Chinese fields and demonstrated a novel rhizobium associated with faba bean.

Keywords: Vicia faba ; Rhizobium ; Ecotype; Diversity; Homogeneity

Characterization and resuscitation of viable but nonculturable Vibrio alginolyticus VIB283 by Meng Du; Jixiang Chen; Xiaohua Zhang; Aijuan Li; Yun Li (pp. 283-288).

The aim of this study was to investigate the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state of the bacterium. Vibrio alginolyticus VIB283 was cultured in sterilized seawater microcosm at 4°C. Culturability of the cells in the microcosm was monitored by spread plate count (PC) on 2216E agar, PCs declined to undetectable levels (<0.1 CFU/ml) within 90 days. Total cell counts remained constant throughout the period as determined by acridine orange direct count (AODC). The direct viable counts, on the other hand, declined from 10¹⁰ to 10⁹ CFU/ml active cells and remained fairly constant at this level by direct viable count (DVC), which indicated that a large population of cells entered into the VBNC state. The VBNC cells could be resuscitated by temperature upshift with and without the presence of nutrition. The resuscitated time were 16 h and 8 days respectively. The resuscitation was not achieved in chick embryos. The morphology of the VBNC, normal and resuscitated cells was studied with scanning electron microscope and flow cytometry. The cells changed from rod or arc to coccoid and decreased in size when entered into the VBNC state. The resuscitated and the normal cells had almost no morphological differences.

Keywords: Vibrio alginolyticus ; Resuscitation; VBNC; Scanning electron microscope; Flow cytometry

Chlorobenzoate inhibits growth and induces stress proteins in the PCB-degrading bacterium Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 by Paula Martínez; Loreine Agulló; Marcela Hernández; Michael Seeger (pp. 289-297).

Aerobic bacteria, such as Burkholderia xenovorans LB400, are able to degrade a wide range of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs). Generally, these bacteria are not able to transform chlorobenzoates (CBAs), which accumulate during PCB degradation. In this study, the effects of CBAs on the growth, the morphology and the proteome of Burkholderia xenovorans LB400 were analysed. 4-CBA and 2-CBA were observed to inhibit the growth of strain LB400 on glucose. Strain LB400 exposed to 4-CBA exhibited increased number and size of electron-dense granules in the cytoplasm, which could be polyphosphates. Two-dimensional (2-D) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to characterise the molecular response of strain LB400 to 4-CBA. This compound induced the enzymes BenD and CatA of benzoate and catechol catabolic pathways. The induction of molecular chaperones DnaK and HtpG by 4-CBA indicated that the exposure to this compound constitutes a stressful condition for this bacterium. Additionally, the induction of some Krebs cycle enzymes was observed, probably as response to cellular energy requirements. This study contributes to the knowledge on the effects of CBA on the PCB-degrader Burkholderia xenovorans LB400.

Keywords: Chlorobenzoate; Proteome; Burkholderia xenovorans ; Stress

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Archives of Microbiology (v.188, #3)

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Archives of Microbiology (v.188, #3)