title: Genome analysis and characterization of zinc efflux systems of a highly zinc-resistant bacterium, Comamonas testosteroni S44.
abstract: A novel and multiple metal(loid)-resistant strain Comamonas testosteroni S44 with a high Zn(2+) resistance level (10 mM) was isolated. To understand the molecular basis for the high zinc resistance, whole genome sequencing was performed and revealed a large number of genes encoding putative metal(loid) resistance proteins, mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events that may have occurred to adapt to a metal(loid)-contaminated environment. In particular, 9 putative Zn(2+) transporters [4 znt operons encoding putative Zn(2+)-translocating P-type ATPases and 5 czc operons encoding putative RND-driven (resistance, nodulation, cell division protein family)] tripartite protein complexes were identified. Real-time RT-PCR analysis revealed that the four zntA-like genes were all induced by Zn(2+), while czcA genes were either Zn(2+)-induced or downregulated by Zn(2+). Furthermore, a zntR1A1 operon encoding a ZntR-type regulator and a P-type ATPase was studied in detail. The zntR1 deletion strain (S44ΔzntR1) displayed intermediate resistance to Zn(2+) (6 mM) and accumulated more intracellular Zn(2+). Reporter gene expression assays indicated that ZntR1 responded to Zn(2+), Cd(2+) and Pb(2+), with Zn(2+) being the best inducer. Gene transcription analysis indicated that ZntR1 was a regulator for transcription of zntA1, while other putative ZntR-type regulators may also regulate the transcription expression of zntA1.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China. luorixiong@163.com
authors.forename: Jinbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Minyan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rensing
authors.forename: Gejiao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001692:Biological Transport; D020604:Comamonas testosteroni / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015032:Zinc