title: Glucose induces delocalization of a flagellar biosynthesis protein from the flagellated pole.
abstract: To survive in a continuously changing environment, bacteria sense concentration gradients of attractants or repellents, and purposefully migrate until a more favourable habitat is encountered. While glucose is known as the most effective attractant, the flagellar biosynthesis and hence chemotactic motility has been known to be repressed by glucose in some bacteria. To date, the only known regulatory mechanism of the repression of flagellar synthesis by glucose is via downregulation of the cAMP level, as shown in a few members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Here we show that, in Vibrio vulnificus, the glucose-mediated inhibition of flagellar motility operates by a completely different mechanism. In the presence of glucose, EIIA(Glc) is dephosphorylated and inhibits the polar localization of FapA (flagellar assembly protein A) by sequestering it from the flagellated pole. A loss or delocalization of FapA results in a complete failure of the flagellar biosynthesis and motility. However, when glucose is depleted, EIIA(Glc) is phosphorylated and releases FapA such that free FapA can be localized back to the pole and trigger flagellation. Together, these data provide new insight into a bacterial strategy to reach and stay in the glucose-rich area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics and Chemical Biology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soyoung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Institute of Microbiology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Ha
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Myongji University, Yongin, Gyeonggido, 17058, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Ro
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Institute of Microbiology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yeon-Ran
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics and Chemical Biology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.|Department of Biological Sciences and Institute of Microbiology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yeong-Jae
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Seok
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000502:physiology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D005407:Flagella / Q000378:metabolism*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010731:Phosphoenolpyruvate Sugar Phosphotransferase System / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D041261:Vibrio vulnificus / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C032242:crr protein, E coli; D010731:Phosphoenolpyruvate Sugar Phosphotransferase System; D005947:Glucose