Dataset Information

Natural Transformation in Deinococcus radiodurans: A Genetic Analysis Reveals the Major Roles of DprA, DdrB, RecA, RecF, and RecO Proteins.

ABSTRACT: Horizontal gene transfer is a major driver of bacterial evolution and adaptation to environmental stresses, occurring notably via transformation of naturally competent organisms. The Deinococcus radiodurans bacterium, characterized by its extreme radioresistance, is also naturally competent. Here, we investigated the role of D. radiodurans players involved in different steps of natural transformation. First, we identified the factors (PilQ, PilD, type IV pilins, PilB, PilT, ComEC-ComEA, and ComF) involved in DNA uptake and DNA translocation across the external and cytoplasmic membranes and showed that the DNA-uptake machinery is similar to that described in the Gram negative bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Then, we studied the involvement of recombination and DNA repair proteins, RecA, RecF, RecO, DprA, and DdrB into the DNA processing steps of D. radiodurans transformation by plasmid and genomic DNA. The transformation frequency of the cells devoid of DprA, a highly conserved protein among competent species, strongly decreased but was not completely abolished whereas it was completely abolished in ?dprA ?recF, ?dprA ?recO, and ?dprA ?ddrB double mutants. We propose that RecF and RecO, belonging to the recombination mediator complex, and DdrB, a specific deinococcal DNA binding protein, can replace a function played by DprA, or alternatively, act at a different step of recombination with DprA. We also demonstrated that a ?dprA mutant is as resistant as wild type to various doses of ?-irradiation, suggesting that DprA, and potentially transformation, do not play a major role in D. radiodurans radioresistance.

SUBMITTER: Ithurbide S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7314969 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Natural Transformation in Deinococcus radiodurans: A Genetic Analysis Reveals the Major Roles of DprA, DdrB, RecA, RecF, and RecO Proteins.

Ithurbide Solenne S Coste Geneviève G Lisboa Johnny J Eugénie Nicolas N Bentchikou Esma E Bouthier de la Tour Claire C Liger Dominique D Confalonieri Fabrice F Sommer Suzanne S Quevillon-Cheruel Sophie S Servant Pascale P

Frontiers in microbiology 20200618

Horizontal gene transfer is a major driver of bacterial evolution and adaptation to environmental stresses, occurring notably via transformation of naturally competent organisms. The Deinococcus radiodurans bacterium, characterized by its extreme radioresistance, is also naturally competent. Here, we investigated the role of D. radiodurans players involved in different steps of natural transformation. First, we identified the factors (PilQ, PilD, type IV pilins, PilB, PilT, ComEC-C ...[more]

PMID: 32625182

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Project description:Environmental DNA uptake by certain bacteria and its integration into their genome create genetic diversity and new phenotypes. DNA processing protein A (DprA) is part of a multiprotein complex and facilitates the natural transformation (NT) phenotype in most bacteria. Deinococcus radiodurans, an extremely radioresistant bacterium, is efficient in NT, and its genome encodes nearly all of the components of the natural competence complex. Here, we have characterized the DprA protein of this bacterium (DrDprA) for the known characteristics of DprA proteins of other bacteria and the mechanisms underlying the DNA-RecA interaction. DrDprA has three domains. In vitro studies showed that purified recombinant DrDprA binds to both single-strand DNA (ssDNA) and double-strand DNA (dsDNA) and is able to protect ssDNA from nucleolytic degradation. DrDprA showed a strong interaction with DrRecA and facilitated RecA-catalyzed functions in vivo. Mutational studies identified DrDprA amino acid residues crucial for oligomerization, the interaction with DrRecA, and DNA binding. Furthermore, we showed that both oligomerization and DNA binding properties of DrDprA are integral to its support of the DrRecA-catalyzed strand exchange reaction (SER) in vitro. Together, these data suggested that DrDprA is largely structurally conserved with other DprA homologs but shows some unique structure-function features like the existence of an additional C-terminal Drosophila melanogaster Miasto-like protein 1 (DML1) domain, equal affinities for ssDNA and dsDNA, and the collective roles of oligomerization and DNA binding properties in supporting DrRecA functions. IMPORTANCE Bacteria can take up extracellular DNA (eDNA) by natural transformation (NT). Many bacteria, including Deinococcus radiodurans, have constitutive competence systems and can take up eDNA throughout their growth phase. DprA (DNA processing protein A) is a transformation-specific recombination mediator protein (RMP) that plays a role in bacterial NT, and the absence of this gene significantly reduces the transformation efficiencies of both chromosomal and plasmid DNA. NT helps bacteria survive under adverse conditions and contributes to genetic diversity in bacteria. The present work describes the characterization of DprA from D. radiodurans and will add to the existing knowledge of DprA biology.

Dataset Information

Natural Transformation in Deinococcus radiodurans: A Genetic Analysis Reveals the Major Roles of DprA, DdrB, RecA, RecF, and RecO Proteins.

Publications

Natural Transformation in <i>Deinococcus radiodurans</i>: A Genetic Analysis Reveals the Major Roles of DprA, DdrB, RecA, RecF, and RecO Proteins.

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