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Expression of a Peptidoglycan Hydrolase from Lytic Bacteriophages Atu_ph02 and Atu_ph03 Triggers Lysis of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

ABSTRACT: To provide food security, innovative approaches to preventing plant disease are currently being explored. Here, we demonstrate that lytic bacteriophages and phage lysis proteins are effective at triggering lysis of the phytopathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens Phages Atu_ph02 and Atu_ph03 were isolated from wastewater and induced lysis of C58-derived strains of A. tumefaciens The coinoculation of A. tumefaciens with phages on potato discs limited tumor formation. The genomes of Atu_ph02 and Atu_ph03 are nearly identical and are ?42% identical to those of T7 supercluster phages. In silico attempts to find a canonical lysis cassette were unsuccessful; however, we found a putative phage peptidoglycan hydrolase (PPH), which contains a C-terminal transmembrane domain. Remarkably, the endogenous expression of pph in the absence of additional phage genes causes a block in cell division and subsequent lysis of A. tumefaciens cells. When the presumed active site of the N-acetylmuramidase domain carries an inactivating mutation, PPH expression causes extensive cell branching due to a block in cell division but does not trigger rapid cell lysis. In contrast, the mutation of positively charged residues at the extreme C terminus of PPH causes more rapid cell lysis. Together, these results suggest that PPH causes a block in cell division and triggers cell lysis through two distinct activities. Finally, the potent killing activity of this single lysis protein can be modulated, suggesting that it could be engineered to be an effective enzybiotic.IMPORTANCE The characterization of bacteriophages such as Atu_ph02 and Atu_ph03, which infect plant pathogens such as Agrobacterium tumefaciens, may be the basis of new biocontrol strategies. First, cocktails of diverse bacteriophages could be used as a preventative measure to limit plant diseases caused by bacteria; a bacterial pathogen is unlikely to simultaneously develop resistances to multiple bacteriophage species. The specificity of bacteriophage treatment for the host is an asset in complex communities, such as in orchards where it would be detrimental to harm the symbiotic bacteria in the environment. Second, bacteriophages are potential sources of enzymes that efficiently lyse bacterial cells. These phage proteins may have a broad specificity, but since proteins do not replicate as phages do, their effect is highly localized, providing an alternative to traditional antibiotic treatments. Thus, studies of lytic bacteriophages that infect A. tumefaciens may provide insights for designing preventative strategies against bacterial pathogens.

SUBMITTER: Attai H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5691410 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Expression of a Peptidoglycan Hydrolase from Lytic Bacteriophages Atu_ph02 and Atu_ph03 Triggers Lysis of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Attai Hedieh H Rimbey Jeanette J Smith George P GP Brown Pamela J B PJB

Applied and environmental microbiology 20171116 23

To provide food security, innovative approaches to preventing plant disease are currently being explored. Here, we demonstrate that lytic bacteriophages and phage lysis proteins are effective at triggering lysis of the phytopathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens Phages Atu_ph02 and Atu_ph03 were isolated from wastewater and induced lysis of C58-derived strains of A. tumefaciens The coinoculation of A. tumefaciens with phages on potato discs limited tumor formation. The genomes o ...[more]

PMID: 28970228

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Project description:UnlabelledThe synthesis of peptidoglycan (PG) in bacteria is a crucial process controlling cell shape and vitality. In contrast to bacteria such as Escherichia coli that grow by dispersed lateral insertion of PG, little is known of the processes that direct polar PG synthesis in other bacteria such as the Rhizobiales. To better understand polar growth in the Rhizobiales Agrobacterium tumefaciens, we first surveyed its genome to identify homologs of (~70) well-known PG synthesis components. Since most of the canonical cell elongation components are absent from A. tumefaciens, we made fluorescent protein fusions to other putative PG synthesis components to assay their subcellular localization patterns. The cell division scaffolds FtsZ and FtsA, PBP1a, and a Rhizobiales- and Rhodobacterales-specific l,d-transpeptidase (LDT) all associate with the elongating cell pole. All four proteins also localize to the septum during cell division. Examination of the dimensions of growing cells revealed that new cell compartments gradually increase in width as they grow in length. This increase in cell width is coincident with an expanded region of LDT-mediated PG synthesis activity, as measured directly through incorporation of exogenous d-amino acids. Thus, unipolar growth in the Rhizobiales is surprisingly dynamic and represents a significant departure from the canonical growth mechanism of E. coli and other well-studied bacilli.ImportanceMany rod-shaped bacteria, including pathogens such as Brucella and Mycobacteriu, grow by adding new material to their cell poles, and yet the proteins and mechanisms contributing to this process are not yet well defined. The polarly growing plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens was used as a model bacterium to explore these polar growth mechanisms. The results obtained indicate that polar growth in this organism is facilitated by repurposed cell division components and an otherwise obscure class of alternative peptidoglycan transpeptidases (l,d-transpeptidases). This growth results in dynamically changing cell widths as the poles expand to maturity and contrasts with the tightly regulated cell widths characteristic of canonical rod-shaped growth. Furthermore, the abundance and/or activity of l,d-transpeptidases appears to associate with polar growth strategies, suggesting that these enzymes may serve as attractive targets for specifically inhibiting growth of Rhizobiales, Actinomycetales, and other polarly growing bacterial pathogens.

Project description:Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a rhizosphere bacterium that can infect wound sites on plants. The bacterium transfers a segment of DNA (T-DNA) from the Ti plasmid to the plant host cell via a type IV secretion system where the DNA becomes integrated into the host cell chromosomes. The expression of T-DNA in the plant results in tumor formation. Although the binding of the bacteria to plant surfaces has been studied previously, there is little work on possible interactions of the bacteria with the plant cell wall. Seven of the 48 genes encoding putative glycoside hydrolases (Atu2295, Atu2371, Atu3104, Atu3129, Atu4560, Atu4561, and Atu4665) in the genome of A. tumefaciens C58 were found to play a role in virulence on tomato and Bryophyllum daigremontiana Two of these genes (pglA and pglB; Atu3129 and Atu4560) encode enzymes capable of digesting polygalacturonic acid and, thus, may play a role in the digestion of pectin. One gene (arfA; Atu3104) encodes an arabinosylfuranosidase, which could remove arabinose from the ends of polysaccharide chains. Two genes (bglA and bglB; Atu2295 and Atu4561) encode proteins with β-glycosidase activity and could digest a variety of plant cell wall oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. One gene (xynA; Atu2371) encodes a putative xylanase, which may play a role in the digestion of xylan. Another gene (melA; Atu4665) encodes a protein with α-galactosidase activity and may be involved in the breakdown of arabinogalactans. Limited digestion of the plant cell wall by A. tumefaciens may be involved in tumor formation on tomato and B. daigremontianaIMPORTANCEA. tumefaciens is used in the construction of genetically engineered plants, as it is able to transfer DNA to plant hosts. Knowledge of the mechanisms of DNA transfer and the genes required will aid in the understanding of this process. Manipulation of glycoside hydrolases may increase transformation and widen the host range of the bacterium. A. tumefaciens also causes disease (crown gall tumors) on a variety of plants, including stone fruit trees, grapes, and grafted ornamentals such as roses. It is possible that compounds that inhibit glycoside hydrolases could be used to control crown gall disease caused by A. tumefaciens.

Project description:BackgroundStaphylococcus aureus is a food-borne pathogen and the most common cause of infections in hospitalized patients. The increase in the resistance of this pathogen to antibacterials has made necessary the development of new anti-staphylococcal agents. In this context, bacteriophage lytic enzymes such as endolysins and structural peptidoglycan (PG) hydrolases have received considerable attention as possible antimicrobials against gram-positive bacteria.ResultsS. aureus bacteriophage vB_SauS-phiIPLA88 (phiIPLA88) contains a virion-associated muralytic enzyme (HydH5) encoded by orf58, which is located in the morphogenetic module. Comparative bioinformatic analysis revealed that HydH5 significantly resembled other peptidoglycan hydrolases encoded by staphylococcal phages. The protein consists of 634 amino acid residues. Two putative lytic domains were identified: an N-terminal CHAP (cysteine, histidine-dependent amidohydrolase/peptidase) domain (135 amino acid residues), and a C-terminal LYZ2 (lysozyme subfamily 2) domain (147 amino acid residues). These domains were also found when a predicted three-dimensional structure of HydH5 was made which provided the basis for deletion analysis. The complete HydH5 protein and truncated proteins containing only each catalytic domain were overproduced in E. coli and purified from inclusion bodies by subsequent refolding. Truncated and full-length HydH5 proteins were all able to bind and lyse S. aureus Sa9 cells as shown by binding assays, zymogram analyses and CFU reduction analysis. HydH5 demonstrated high antibiotic activity against early exponential cells, at 45°C and in the absence of divalent cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+). Thermostability assays showed that HydH5 retained 72% of its activity after 5 min at 100°C.ConclusionsThe virion-associated PG hydrolase HydH5 has lytic activity against S. aureus, which makes it attractive as antimicrobial for food biopreservation and anti-staphylococcal therapy.

Dataset Information

Expression of a Peptidoglycan Hydrolase from Lytic Bacteriophages Atu_ph02 and Atu_ph03 Triggers Lysis of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Publications

Expression of a Peptidoglycan Hydrolase from Lytic Bacteriophages Atu_ph02 and Atu_ph03 Triggers Lysis of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

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