title: Inactivation of pecS restores the virulence of mutants devoid of osmoregulated periplasmic glucans in the phytopathogenic bacterium Dickeya dadantii.
abstract: Dickeya dadantii is a phytopathogenic enterobacterium that causes soft rot disease in a wide range of plant species. Maceration, an apparent symptom of the disease, is the result of the synthesis and secretion of a set of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes (PCWDEs), but many additional factors are required for full virulence. Among these, osmoregulated periplasmic glucans (OPGs) and the PecS transcriptional regulator are essential virulence factors. Several cellular functions are controlled by both OPGs and PecS. Strains devoid of OPGs display a pleiotropic phenotype including total loss of virulence, loss of motility and severe reduction in the synthesis of PCWDEs. PecS is one of the major regulators of virulence in D. dadantii, acting mainly as a repressor of various cellular functions including virulence, motility and synthesis of PCWDEs. The present study shows that inactivation of the pecS gene restored virulence in a D. dadantii strain devoid of OPGs, indicating that PecS cannot be de-repressed in strains devoid of OPGs.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, UMR CNRS 8576, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, Université Lille Nord de France, F-59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bontemps-Gallo
authors.affiliation: Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, UMR CNRS 8576, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, Université Lille Nord de France, F-59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France.
authors.forename: Edwige
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Madec
authors.affiliation: Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, UMR CNRS 8576, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille, Université Lille Nord de France, F-59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Marie
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lacroix
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005936:Glucans / Q000032:analysis*; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008124:Locomotion; D064587:Osmoregulation; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005936:Glucans; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D006867:Hydrolases