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Francisella Expression Microarray Analysis

ABSTRACT: Francisella tularensis is a Gram-negative bacterium that is highly virulent in humans, causing the disease tularemia. F. novicida is closely related to F. tularensis and exhibits high virulence in mice, but is avirulent in healthy humans. A F. novicida-specific gene cluster (FTN0451-FTN0456) encodes two proteins with diguanylate cyclase (DGC) and phosphodiesterase (PDE) domains that modulate synthesis and degradation of cyclic di-GMP (cdGMP). No DGC or PDE containing proteins are present in the F. tularensis genome. F. novicida strains lacking either the two DGC/PDE genes cdgA and cdgB or the entire gene cluster (KKF457) are defective for biofilm formation. In addition, expression of CdgB or a heterologous DGC in KKF457 stimulated F. novicida biofilms, even in a strain lacking the biofilm regulator QseB. Genetic evidence suggests that CdgA is predominantly a PDE, while CdgB is predominantly a DGC. The F. novicida qseB strain has reduced cdgA and cdgB transcript levels, demonstrating a F. novicida biofilm signaling cascade that controls cdGMP levels. Interestingly, KKF457 with elevated cdGMP levels exhibited a decrease in intramacrophage replication and virulence in mice, as well as increased growth yield and biofilm formation in vitro. Microarray analyses revealed that cdGMP stimulated the transcription of a chitinase (ChiB) known to contribute to biofilm formation. Our results indicate that elevated cdGMP in F. novicida stimulates biofilm formation and inhibits virulence. We suggest that differences in human virulence between F. novicida and F. tularensis may be due in part to the absence of cdGMP signaling in F. tularensis.

ORGANISM(S): Francisella Francisella tularensis subsp. novicida

PROVIDER: GSE39647 | GEO | 2012/11/30

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA171329

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Francisella tularensis is a Gram-negative bacterium that is highly virulent in humans, causing the disease tularemia. F. novicida is closely related to F. tularensis and exhibits high virulence in mice, but is avirulent in healthy humans. A F. novicida-specific gene cluster (FTN0451-FTN0456) encodes two proteins with diguanylate cyclase (DGC) and phosphodiesterase (PDE) domains that modulate synthesis and degradation of cyclic di-GMP (cdGMP). No DGC or PDE containing proteins are present in the F. tularensis genome. F. novicida strains lacking either the two DGC/PDE genes cdgA and cdgB or the entire gene cluster (KKF457) are defective for biofilm formation. In addition, expression of CdgB or a heterologous DGC in KKF457 stimulated F. novicida biofilms, even in a strain lacking the biofilm regulator QseB. Genetic evidence suggests that CdgA is predominantly a PDE, while CdgB is predominantly a DGC. The F. novicida qseB strain has reduced cdgA and cdgB transcript levels, demonstrating a F. novicida biofilm signaling cascade that controls cdGMP levels. Interestingly, KKF457 with elevated cdGMP levels exhibited a decrease in intramacrophage replication and virulence in mice, as well as increased growth yield and biofilm formation in vitro. Microarray analyses revealed that cdGMP stimulated the transcription of a chitinase (ChiB) known to contribute to biofilm formation. Our results indicate that elevated cdGMP in F. novicida stimulates biofilm formation and inhibits virulence. We suggest that differences in human virulence between F. novicida and F. tularensis may be due in part to the absence of cdGMP signaling in F. tularensis. A whole genome NibleGen microarray was developed for multiple Francisella subspecies, using shared probes for common genes as well as unique probes for subspecies-specific genes. Included were probes representing the F. novicida U112 genome, with a maximum of 6 probes/gene. RNA was isolated from bacteria and purified as described above. The double-strand cDNA was generated and labeled with Cy3 according to the NimbleGen Gene Expression Array protocol (www.nimblegen.com), using SuperScript Double-Stranded cDNA Synthesis Kit (Invitrogen) and the DNA Labeling Kit (NimbleGen). Microarray results were analyzed using the ArrayStar software (DNASTAR).

Project description:Bacterial lifestyles are dictated by the conditions encountered during colonization of a specific ecological niche or host. A wide range of environmental stimuli triggers sensory modules, that modify activity of proteins, or/and initiate a transfer of information in complex regulatory networks, which modulate gene expression, and therefore adaptation. The transition between planktonic and biofilm growth is dependent on the homeostasis of the intracellular second messenger c-di-GMP. High c-di-GMP levels driven by diguanylate cyclase (DGC) activity favor biofilm while low levels maintained by phosphodiesterase (PDE) enzymes encourage planktonic style or biofilm dispersal. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa over 40 PDE/DGC are involved in c-di-GMP homeostasis, including 16 dual enzymes possessing both canonical DGC and PDE motifs, i.e. GGDEF and EAL, respectively. It has been previously reported that the deletion of the PDE/DGC dual enzyme PA0285, one of 5 c-di-GMP-related enzymes conserved across all Pseudomonas species, impacts biofilms and causes elevated c-di-GMP levels in P. aeruginosa. Here we confirm that this role is conserved in various P. aeruginosa (PAO1, PA14 and PAK) and Pseudomonas putida strains. Deletion of PA0285 has the highest impact during the early stage of surface colonization, and RNA-seq analysis in biofilm context indicates that it may be associated with upregulation of cupA fimbrial genes. We demonstrate that the C-terminal portion of PA0285 encompassing the GGDEF and EAL domains binds the respective GTP (GGDEF) and c-di-GMP (EAL) substrates but only exhibits PDE activity in vitro. Both GGDEF and EAL domains are important for PA0285 PDE activity in vivo as suggested by site-directed mutants in each of the key motifs. Complementation of the PA0285 mutant strain with the C-terminal GGDEF/EAL portion in trans is not as effective as with the full-length gene suggesting that the transmembrane region and PAS domains contained in PA0285’s N-terminal portion influence its PDE activity in vivo. We speculate that the transmembrane portion or/and PAS domains of PA0285 impede its PDE activity in vivo through modulating the conformation of the enzyme, as shown for P. aeruginosa RbdA, in response to an unknown stimulus.

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Francisella Expression Microarray Analysis

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