Identification and differential production of ubiquinone-8 in the bacterial predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus.
Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus 109J, a predatory bacterium with potential as a bacterial control agent, can exist in several lifestyles that differ both in predatory capacity and color. We determined that levels of ubiquinone-8 contribute to the distinctive but variable yellow color of different types of Bdellovibrio cells. Steady-state ubiquinone-8 concentrations did not differ markedly between conventional predatory and host-independent B. bacteriovorus despite upregulation of a suite of ubiquinone-8 synthesis genes in host-independent cells. In contrast, in spatially organized B. bacteriovorus films, the yellow inner regions contain significantly higher ubiquinone-8 concentrations than the off-white outer regions. Correspondingly, RT-PCR analysis reveals that the inner region, previously shown to consist primarily of active predators, clearly expresses two ubiquinone biosynthesis genes, while the outer region, composed mainly of quiescent or stalled bdelloplasts, expresses those genes weakly or not at all. Moreover, B. bacteriovorus cells in the inner region of week-old interfacial films, which are phenotypically attack-phase, have much higher UQ8 levels than regular attack-phase bdellovibrios, most likely because their "trapped" state prevents a high expenditure of energy to power flagellar motion.
Department of Chemistry, Occidental College, 1600 Campus Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90041, USA. Electronic address: emspain@oxy.edu.
Eileen M
EM
Spain
Department of Chemistry, Wellesley College, 106 Central St. Wellesley, MA 02481, USA. Electronic address: mnunez@wellesley.edu.
Megan E
ME
Núñez
Department of Chemistry, Occidental College, 1600 Campus Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90041, USA. Electronic address: skyoforange@gmail.com.
Hyeong-Jin
HJ
Kim
Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at New Paltz, 1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY 12561, USA. Electronic address: n02213760@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu.
Ryan J
RJ
Taylor
Department of Chemistry, Occidental College, 1600 Campus Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90041, USA. Electronic address: nthomas@oxy.edu.
Nicholas
N
Thomas
Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at New Paltz, 1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY 12561, USA. Electronic address: wichael88@gmail.com.
Michael B
MB
Wengen
Environmental Analysis Center, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA. Electronic address: nathand@caltech.edu.
Nathan F
NF
Dalleska
Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at New Paltz, 1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY 12561, USA. Electronic address: bromlj@rpi.edu.
Joseph P
JP
Bromley
Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at New Paltz, 1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY 12561, USA. Electronic address: k.lundberg425@gmail.com.
Kimberly H
KH
Schermerhorn
Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at New Paltz, 1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY 12561, USA. Electronic address: fergusom@newpaltz.edu.
Megan A
MA
Ferguson
D000070060:Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000378:metabolism*
D014451:Ubiquinone; C030778:ubiquinone 8
Bacterial metabolism; Electron transport; Gene expression; Phase variation; Predator-prey interactions