title: Functional Analysis of the Ferric Uptake Regulator Gene fur in Xanthomonas vesicatoria.
abstract: Iron is essential for the growth and survival of many organisms. Intracellular iron homeostasis must be maintained for cell survival and protection against iron toxicity. The ferric uptake regulator protein (Fur) regulates the high-affinity ferric uptake system in many bacteria. To investigate the function of the fur gene in Xanthomonas vesicatoria (Xv), we generated a fur mutant strain, fur-m, by site-directed mutagenesis. Whereas siderophore production increased in the Xv fur mutant, extracellular polysaccharide production, biofilm formation, swimming ability and quorum sensing signals were all significantly decreased. The fur mutant also had significantly reduced virulence in tomato leaves. The above-mentioned phenotypes significantly recovered when the Xv fur mutation allele was complemented with a wild-type fur gene. Thus, Fur either negatively or positively regulates multiple important physiological functions in Xv.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.|College of Horticulture and Landscape, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China.|Agronomy College, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi, China.
authors.forename: Huiqin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture and Landscape, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Chunling
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture and Landscape, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Tingchang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Agronomy College, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi, China.
authors.forename: Jucai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture and Landscape, Tianjin Agricultural University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Tieling
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Horticulture College, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi, China.
authors.forename: Xiangzhen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000382:microbiology*; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000382:microbiology*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D044184:Xanthomonas vesicatoria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C068477:ferric uptake regulating proteins, bacterial; D007501:Iron