title: VapD in Xylella fastidiosa Is a Thermostable Protein with Ribonuclease Activity.
abstract: Xylella fastidiosa strain 9a5c is a gram-negative phytopathogen that is the causal agent of citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC), a disease that is responsible for economic losses in Brazilian agriculture. The most well-known mechanism of pathogenicity for this bacterial pathogen is xylem vessel occlusion, which results from bacterial movement and the formation of biofilms. The molecular mechanisms underlying the virulence caused by biofilm formation are unknown. Here, we provide evidence showing that virulence-associated protein D in X. fastidiosa (Xf-VapD) is a thermostable protein with ribonuclease activity. Moreover, protein expression analyses in two X. fastidiosa strains, including virulent (Xf9a5c) and nonpathogenic (XfJ1a12) strains, showed that Xf-VapD was expressed during all phases of development in both strains and that increased expression was observed in Xf9a5c during biofilm growth. This study is an important step toward characterizing and improving our understanding of the biological significance of Xf-VapD and its potential functions in the CVC pathosystem.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-875.
authors.forename: Juliano S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-875.
authors.forename: André da S
authors.initials: Ada S
authors.lastname: Santiago
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-875.
authors.forename: Marcelo A S
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Toledo
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-875.
authors.forename: Luciana K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Rosselli-Murai
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-875.
authors.forename: Marianna T P
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Favaro
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-875.
authors.forename: Clelton A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-875.
authors.forename: Maria Augusta C
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Horta
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-875.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crucello
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-875.
authors.forename: Lilian L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Beloti
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Orgânica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-970.
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Orgânica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-970.
authors.forename: Ljubica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tasic
authors.affiliation: Centro APTA Citros Sylvio Moreira/IAC, Cordeirópolis, SP, Brazil, 13490-970.
authors.forename: Alessandra A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-875.|Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-862.
authors.forename: Anete P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: de Souza
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D004795:Enzyme Stability; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D044167:Xylella / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C077520:VapD protein, Bacteria; D012260:Ribonucleases