Identification of mutants with altered phenazine production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen that causes serious and chronic infections. Many secondary metabolites are secreted throughout its growth, among which phenazine is a known virulence factor and signalling molecule. Phenazine is coordinately controlled by the global regulatory quorum-sensing (QS) systems. Despite the detailed understanding of phenazine biosynthesis pathways in P. aeruginosa, the regulatory networks are still not fully clear. In the present study, the regulation of the phzA1B1C1D1E1F1G1 operon (phzA1) has been investigated. Screening of 5000 transposon mutants revealed 14 interrupted genes with altered phzA1 expression, including PA2593 (QteE), which has been identified as a novel regulator of the QS system. Overexpression of qteE in P. aeruginosa significantly reduced the accumulation of homoserine lactone signals and affected the QS-controlled phenotypes such as the production of pyocyanin, rhamnolipids and LasA protease and swarming motility. Indeed, overexpression of qteE in P. aeruginosa attenuated its pathogenicity in the potato and fruit fly infection models. These findings suggest that qteE plays an important role in P. aeruginosa pathogenicity and is part of the regulatory networks controlling phenazine production.
Liang
Haihua
H
Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, PR China.
Duan
Jiali
J
Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, PR China.
Sibley
Christopher D
CD
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada.
Surette
Michael G
MG
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada.
Duan
Kangmin
K
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada.|Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, PR China.
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways / Q000235:genetics*; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004330:Drosophila / Q000382:microbiology; D015870:Gene Expression; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008055:Lipids / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008124:Locomotion; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D009154:Mutation; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009876:Operon; D010619:Phenazines / Q000378:metabolism*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D011710:Pyocyanine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053038:Quorum Sensing; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000382:microbiology; D014774:Virulence
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D006017:Glycolipids; D008055:Lipids; D010619:Phenazines; C054080:lipid-associated sialic acid; C418382:rhamnolipid; D011710:Pyocyanine; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid