Dataset Information

Identification of Lactococcus lactis genes required for bacteriophage adsorption.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this work was to identify genes in Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis IL1403 and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris Wg2 important for adsorption of the 936-species phages bIL170 and phi 645, respectively. Random insertional mutagenesis of the two L. lactis strains was carried out with the vector pGh9:ISS1, and integrants that were resistant to phage infection and showed reduced phage adsorption were selected. In L. lactis IL1403 integration was obtained in the ycaG and rgpE genes, whereas in L. lactis Wg2 integration was obtained in two genes homologous to ycbC and ycbB of L. lactis IL1403. rgpE and ycbB encode putative glycosyltransferases, whereas ycaG and ycbC encode putative membrane-spanning proteins with unknown functions. Interestingly, ycaG, rgpE, ycbC, and ycbB are all part of the same operon in L. lactis IL1403. This operon is probably involved in biosynthesis and transport of cell wall polysaccharides (WPS). Binding and infection studies showed that phi645 binds to and infects L. lactis Wg2, L. lactis IL1403, and L. lactis IL1403 strains with pGh9:ISS1 integration in ycaG and rgpE, whereas bIL170 binds to and infects only L. lactis IL1403 and cannot infect Wg2. These results indicate that phi 645 binds to a WPS structure present in both L. lactis IL1403 and L. lactis Wg2, whereas bIL170 binds to another WPS structure not present in L. lactis Wg2. Binding of bIL170 and phi 645 to different WPS structures was supported by alignment of the receptor-binding proteins of bIL170 and phi 645 that showed no homology in the C-terminal part.

SUBMITTER: Dupont K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC522090 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Identification of Lactococcus lactis genes required for bacteriophage adsorption.

Dupont Kitt K Janzen Thomas T Vogensen Finn Kvist FK Josephsen Jytte J Stuer-Lauridsen Birgitte B

Applied and environmental microbiology 20041001 10

The aim of this work was to identify genes in Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis IL1403 and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris Wg2 important for adsorption of the 936-species phages bIL170 and phi 645, respectively. Random insertional mutagenesis of the two L. lactis strains was carried out with the vector pGh9:ISS1, and integrants that were resistant to phage infection and showed reduced phage adsorption were selected. In L. lactis IL1403 integration was obtained in the ycaG and rgpE genes, where ...[more]

PMID: 15466520

Similar Datasets

Project description:Bacteriophage infection of Lactococcus lactis strains used in the manufacture of fermented milk products is a major threat for the dairy industry. A greater understanding of the global molecular response of the bacterial host following phage infection has the potential to identify new targets for the design of phage control measures for biotechnological processes. In this study, we have used whole-genome oligonucleotide microarrays to gain insights into the genomic intelligence driving the instinctive response of L. lactis subsp. lactis IL1403 to the onset of a challenge with the lytic prolate-headed phage c2. Following phage adsorption, the bacterium differentially regulated the expression of 61 genes belonging to 14 functional categories, and mostly to cell envelope (12 genes), regulatory functions (11 genes), and carbohydrate metabolism (7 genes). The nature of the differentially regulated genes suggests the orchestration of a complex response involving induction of cell envelope stress proteins, D-alanylation of cell-wall lipoteichoic acids (LTAs), restoration of the proton motive force (PMF), and energy conservation. Increased D-alanylation of LTAs would act as an adsorption blocking mechanism, which we speculate may allow the survival of a small percent of the cell population when facing more realistic in vivo low titer-phage attacks. The modification of LTAs decoration in response to phage c2 adsorption also suggests these cell wall structures as possible primary receptors for this phage. Restoration of a physiological PMF is achieved by regulating the expression of genes affecting the two main components of the PMF, and serves to reverse a drastic depolarization of the host membrane caused by phage adsorption. Down-regulation of energy-consuming metabolic activities and a switch to anaerobic respiration helps the bacterium to save energy in order to sustain the PMF and the overall response to phage. We finally propose that the overall transcriptional response of L. lactis IL1403 to the phage stimuli is orchestrated by the concerted action of Phage Shock Proteins and of the bivalent transcriptional regulator SpxB following activation by the two-component system CesSR. To our knowledge, this represents the first detailed description in L. lactis, and probably in Gram-positive bacteria, of the molecular mechanisms involved in the host response to the membrane perturbation mediated by phage adsorption.

Dataset Information

Identification of Lactococcus lactis genes required for bacteriophage adsorption.

Publications

Identification of Lactococcus lactis genes required for bacteriophage adsorption.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets