Promoter prediction in the rhizobia

Rhizopine biosensors for plant-dependent control of bacterial gene expression

Engineering signalling between plants and microbes could be exploited to establish host-specificity between plant-growth-promoting bacteria and target crops in the environment. We previously engineered rhizopine-signalling circuitry facilitating exclusive signalling between rhizopine-producing (RhiP) plants and model bacterial strains. Here, we conduct an in-depth analysis of rhizopine-inducible expression in bacteria. We characterize two rhizopine-inducible promoters and explore the bacterial host-range of rhizopine biosensor plasmids. By tuning the expression of rhizopine uptake genes, we also construct a new biosensor plasmid pSIR05 that has minimal impact on host cell growth in vitro and exhibits markedly improved stability of expression in situ on RhiP barley roots compared to the previously described biosensor plasmid pSIR02. We demonstrate that a sub-population of Azorhizobium caulinodans cells carrying pSIR05 can sense rhizopine and activate gene expression when colonizing RhiP barley roots. However, these bacteria were mildly defective for colonization of RhiP barley roots compared to the wild-type parent strain. This work provides advancement towards establishing more robust plant-dependent control of bacterial gene expression and highlights the key challenges remaining to achieve this goal.

Some novel features of strong promoters discovered in Cytophaga hutchinsonii

Cytophaga hutchinsonii is an important Gram-negative bacterium belonging to the Bacteroides phylum that can efficiently degrade cellulose. But the promoter that mediates the initiation of gene transcription has been unknown for a long time. In this study, we determined the transcription start site (TSS) of C. hutchinsonii by 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5'RACE). The promoter structure was first identified as TAAT and TATTG which are located -5 and -31 bp upstream of TSS, respectively. The function of -5 and -31 regions and the spacer length of the promoter P_{chu_1284} were explored by site directed ligase-independent mutagenesis (SLIM). The results showed that the promoter activities were sharply decreased when the TTG motif was mutated into guanine (G) or cytosine (C). Interestingly, we found that the strong promoter was accompanied with many TTTG motifs which could enhance the promoter activities within certain copies. These characteristics were different from other promoters of Bacteriodes species. Furthermore, we carried out genome scanning analysis for C. hutchinsonii and another Bacteroides species by Perl6.0. The results indicated that the promoter structure of C. hutchinsonii possessed more unique features than other species. Also, the screened inducible promoter P_{chu_2268} was used to overexpress protein CHU_2196 with a molecular weight of 120 kDa in C. hutchinsonii. The present study enriched the promoter structure of Bacteroidetes species and also provided a novel method for the highly expressed large protein (cellulase) in vivo, which was helpful to elucidate the unique cellulose degradation mechanism of C. hutchinsonii.Key points• The conserved structure of strong promoter of C. hutchinsonii was elucidated.• Two novel regulation motifs of TTTG and AATTATG in the promoter were discovered.• A new method for induced expression of cellulase in vivo was established.• Helpful for explained the unique cellulose degradation mechanism of C. hutchinsonii.

Reprogramming microbial populations using a programmed lysis system to improve chemical production

Microbial populations are a promising model for achieving microbial cooperation to produce valuable chemicals. However, regulating the phenotypic structure of microbial populations remains challenging. In this study, a programmed lysis system (PLS) is developed to reprogram microbial cooperation to enhance chemical production. First, a colicin M -based lysis unit is constructed to lyse Escherichia coli. Then, a programmed switch, based on proteases, is designed to regulate the effective lysis unit time. Next, a PLS is constructed for chemical production by combining the lysis unit with a programmed switch. As a result, poly (lactate-co-3-hydroxybutyrate) production is switched from PLH synthesis to PLH release, and the content of free PLH is increased by 283%. Furthermore, butyrate production with E. coli consortia is switched from E. coli BUT003 to E. coli BUT004, thereby increasing butyrate production to 41.61 g/L. These results indicate the applicability of engineered microbial populations for improving the metabolic division of labor to increase the efficiency of microbial cell factories.

Sequence polarity between the promoter and the adjacent gene modulates promoter activity

Promoter engineering has been employed as a strategy to enhance and optimize the production of bio-products. Availability of promoters with predictable activities is needed for downstream application. However, whether promoter activity remains the same in different gene contexts remains unknown. Six consecutive promoters that have previously been determined to have different activity levels were used to construct six different versions of plasmid backbone pTH1227, followed by inserted genes encoding two polymer-producing enzymes. In some cases, promoter activity in the presence of inserted genes did not correspond to the reported activity levels in a previous study. After removing the inserted genes, the activity of these promoters returned to their previously reported level. These changes were further confirmed to occur at the transcriptional level. Polymer production using our newly constructed plasmids showed polymer accumulation levels corresponding to the promoter activity reported in our study. Our study demonstrated the importance of re-assessing promoter activity levels with regard to gene context, which could influence promoter activity, leading to different outcomes in downstream applications.

Highly Efficient CRISPR-Mediated Base Editing in Sinorhizobium meliloti

Rhizobia are widespread gram-negative soil bacteria and indispensable symbiotic partners of leguminous plants that facilitate the most highly efficient biological nitrogen fixation in nature. Although genetic studies in Sinorhizobium meliloti have advanced our understanding of symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF), the current methods used for genetic manipulations in Sinorhizobium meliloti are time-consuming and labor-intensive. In this study, we report the development of a few precise gene modification tools that utilize the CRISPR/Cas9 system and various deaminases. By fusing the Cas9 nickase to an adenine deaminase, we developed an adenine base editor (ABE) system that facilitated adenine-to-guanine transitions at one-nucleotide resolution without forming double-strand breaks (DSB). We also engineered a cytidine base editor (CBE) and a guanine base editor (GBE) that catalyze cytidine-to-thymine substitutions and cytidine-to-guanine transversions, respectively, by replacing adenine deaminase with cytidine deaminase and other auxiliary enzymes. All of these base editors are amenable to the assembly of multiple synthetic guide RNA (sgRNA) cassettes using Golden Gate Assembly to simultaneously achieve multigene mutations or disruptions. These CRISPR-mediated base editing tools will accelerate the functional genomics study and genome manipulation of rhizobia.

A majority of Rhodobacter sphaeroides promoters lack a crucial RNA polymerase recognition feature, enabling coordinated transcription activation

Using an in vitro transcription system with purified RNA polymerase (RNAP) to investigate rRNA synthesis in the photoheterotrophic α-proteobacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides, we identified a surprising feature of promoters recognized by the major holoenzyme. Transcription from R. sphaeroides rRNA promoters was unexpectedly weak, correlating with absence of -7T, the very highly conserved thymine found at the last position in -10 elements of promoters in most bacterial species. Thymine substitutions for adenine at position -7 in the three rRNA promoters strongly increased intrinsic promoter activity, indicating that R. sphaeroides RNAP can utilize -7T when present. rRNA promoters were activated by purified R. sphaeroides CarD, a transcription factor found in many bacterial species but not in β- and γ-proteobacteria. Overall, CarD increased the activity of 15 of 16 native R. sphaeroides promoters tested in vitro that lacked -7T, whereas it had no effect on three of the four native promoters that contained -7T. Genome-wide bioinformatic analysis of promoters from R. sphaeroides and two other α-proteobacterial species indicated that 30 to 43% contained -7T, whereas 90 to 99% of promoters from non-α-proteobacteria contained -7T. Thus, promoters lacking -7T appear to be widespread in α-proteobacteria and may have evolved away from consensus to enable their coordinated regulation by transcription factors like CarD. We observed a strong reduction in R. sphaeroides CarD levels when cells enter stationary phase, suggesting that reduced activation by CarD may contribute to inhibition of rRNA transcription when cells enter stationary phase, the stage of growth when bacterial ribosome synthesis declines.

Novel small RNAs expressed by Bartonella bacilliformis under multiple conditions reveal potential mechanisms for persistence in the sand fly vector and human host

Bartonella bacilliformis, the etiological agent of Carrión's disease, is a Gram-negative, facultative intracellular alphaproteobacterium. Carrión's disease is an emerging but neglected tropical illness endemic to Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador. B. bacilliformis is spread between humans through the bite of female phlebotomine sand flies. As a result, the pathogen encounters significant and repeated environmental shifts during its life cycle, including changes in pH and temperature. In most bacteria, small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) serve as effectors that may post-transcriptionally regulate the stress response to such changes. However, sRNAs have not been characterized in B. bacilliformis, to date. We therefore performed total RNA-sequencing analyses on B. bacilliformis grown in vitro then shifted to one of ten distinct conditions that simulate various environments encountered by the pathogen during its life cycle. From this, we identified 160 sRNAs significantly expressed under at least one of the conditions tested. sRNAs included the highly-conserved tmRNA, 6S RNA, RNase P RNA component, SRP RNA component, ffH leader RNA, and the alphaproteobacterial sRNAs αr45 and speF leader RNA. In addition, 153 other potential sRNAs of unknown function were discovered. Northern blot analysis was used to confirm the expression of eight novel sRNAs. We also characterized a Bartonella bacilliformis group I intron (BbgpI) that disrupts an un-annotated tRNACCUArg gene and determined that the intron splices in vivo and self-splices in vitro. Furthermore, we demonstrated the molecular targeting of Bartonella bacilliformis small RNA 9 (BbsR9) to transcripts of the ftsH, nuoF, and gcvT genes, in vitro.

Similarities and differences between 6S RNAs from Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Sinorhizobium meliloti

6S RNA, a conserved and abundant small non-coding RNA found in most bacteria, regulates gene expression by inhibiting RNA polymerase (RNAP) holoenzyme. 6S RNAs from α-proteobacteria have been studied poorly so far. Here, we present a first in-depth analysis of 6S RNAs from two α-proteobacteria species, Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Sinorhizobium meliloti. Although both belong to the order Rhizobiales and are typical nitrogen-fixing symbionts of legumes, their 6S RNA expression profiles were found to differ: B. japonicum 6S RNA accumulated in the stationary phase, thus being reminiscent of Escherichia coli 6S RNA, whereas S. meliloti 6S RNA level peaked at the transition to the stationary phase, similarly to Rhodobacter sphaeroides 6S RNA. We demonstrated in vitro that both RNAs have hallmarks of 6S RNAs: they bind to the σ⁷⁰-type RNAP holoenzyme and serve as templates for de novo transcription of so-called product RNAs (pRNAs) ranging in length from ∼13 to 24 nucleotides, with further evidence of the synthesis of even longer pRNAs. Likewise, stably bound pRNAs were found to rearrange the 6S RNA structure to induce its dissociation from RNAP. Compared with B. japonicum 6S RNA, considerable conformational heterogeneity was observed for S. meliloti 6S RNA and its complexes with pRNAs, even though the two 6S RNAs share ∼75% sequence identity. Overall, our findings suggest that the two rhizobial 6S RNAs have diverged with respect to their regulatory impact on gene expression throughout the bacterial life cycle.

Genetic and physiological analysis of biofilm formation on different plastic surfaces by Sphingomonas sp. strain S2M10 reveals an essential function of sphingan biosynthesis

Alphaproteobacteria belonging to the group of the sphingomonads are frequently found in biofilms colonizing pure-water systems, where they cause technical and hygienic problems. In this study, physiological properties of sphingomonads for biofilm formation on plastic surfaces were analysed. Sphingomonas sp. strain S2M10 was isolated from a used water-filtration membrane and submitted to transposon mutagenesis for isolating mutants with altered biofilm formation. Mutants showing strongly decreased biofilm formation carried transposon insertions in genes for the biosynthesis of the polysaccharide sphingan and for flagellar motility. Flagella-mediated attachment was apparently important for biofilm formation on plastic materials of intermediate hydrophobicity, while a mutant with defect in spnB, encoding the first enzyme in sphingan biosynthesis, showed no biofilm formation on all tested materials. Sphingan-dependent biofilm formation was induced in the presence of specific carbon sources while it was not induced in complex medium with yeast extract and tryptone. The regulation of sphingan-based biofilm formation was investigated by interfering with the CckA/ChpT/CtrA phosphorelay, a central signal-transduction pathway in most Alphaproteobacteria. Construction and ectopic expression of a kinase-deficient histidine kinase CckA caused cell elongation and massive sphingan-dependent cell aggregation. In addition, it caused increased activity of the promotor of spnB. In conclusion, these results indicate that sphingan-based biofilm formation by sphingomonads might be triggered by specific carbon sources under prototrophic conditions resembling a milieu that often prevails in pure-water systems.

Full-Length Hairpin RNA Accumulates at High Levels in Yeast but Not in Bacteria and Plants

Hairpin-structured (hp) RNA has been widely used to induce RNA interference (RNAi) in plants and animals, and an in vivo expression system for hpRNA is important for large-scale RNAi applications. Bacterial expression systems have so far been developed for in vivo expression of hpRNA or double-stranded (ds) RNA, but the structure of the resulting RNAi molecules has remained unclear. Here we report that long hpRNAs expressed in the bacteria Escherichia coli and Sinorhizobium meliloti were largely processed into shorter dsRNA fragments with no or few full-length molecules being present. A loss-of-function mutation in the dsRNA-processing enzyme RNase III, in the widely used E. coli HT115 strain, did not prevent the processing of hpRNA. Consistent with previous observations in plants, the loop sequence of long hpRNA expressed in Agrobacterium-infiltrated Nicotiana benthamiana leaves was excised, leaving no detectable levels of full-length hpRNA molecule. In contrast to bacteria and plants, long hpRNAs expressed in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae accumulated as intact, full-length molecules. RNA extracted from hpRNA-expressing yeast cells was shown to be capable of inducing RNAi against a β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene in tobacco leaves when applied topically on leaf surfaces. Our results indicate that yeast can potentially be used to express full-length hpRNA molecules for RNAi and perhaps other structured RNAs that are important in biological applications.

Highly conserved nucleotide motifs present in the 5'UTR of the heme-receptor gene shmR are required for HmuP-dependent expression of shmR in Ensifer meliloti

Heme may represent a major iron-source for bacteria. In the symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacterium Ensifer meliloti 1021, iron acquisition from heme depends on the outer-membrane heme-receptor ShmR. Expression of shmR gene is repressed by iron in a RirA dependent manner while under iron-limitation its expression requires the small protein HmuP. In this work, we identified highly conserved nucleotide motifs present upstream the shmR gene. These motifs are widely distributed among Alpha and Beta Proteobacteria, and correlate with the presence of HmuP coding sequences in bacterial genomes. According to data presented in this work, we named these new motifs as HmuP-responsive elements (HPREs). In the analyzed genomes, the HPREs were always present upstream of genes encoding putative heme-receptors. Moreover, in those Alpha and Beta Proteobacteria where transcriptional start sites for shmR homologs are known, HPREs were located in the 5'UTR region. In this work we show that in E. meliloti 1021, HPREs are involved in HmuP-dependent shmR expression. Moreover, we show that changes in sequence composition of the HPREs correlate with changes in a predicted RNA secondary structure element and affect shmR gene expression.

Most Sinorhizobium meliloti Extracytoplasmic Function Sigma Factors Control Accessory Functions

Fixed (reduced) soil nitrogen plays a critical role in soil fertility and successful food growth. Much soil fertility relies on symbiotic nitrogen fixation: the bacterial partner infects the host plant roots and reduces atmospheric dinitrogen in exchange for host metabolic fuel, a process that involves complex interactions between the partners mediated by changes in gene expression in each partner. Here we test the roles of a family of 11 extracytoplasmic function (ECF) gene regulatory proteins (sigma factors [σs]) that interact with RNA polymerase to determine if they play a significant role in establishing a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis or in responding to various stresses, including cell envelope stress. We discovered that symbiotic nitrogen fixation occurs even when all 11 of these regulatory genes are deleted, that most ECF sigma factors control accessory functions, and that none of the ECF sigma factors are required to survive envelope stress.

Bacteria must sense alterations in their environment and respond with changes in function and/or structure in order to cope. Extracytoplasmic function sigma factors (ECF σs) modulate transcription in response to cellular and environmental signals. The symbiotic nitrogen-fixing alphaproteobacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti carries genes for 11 ECF-like σs (RpoE1 to -E10 and FecI). We hypothesized that some of these play a role in mediating the interaction between the bacterium and its plant symbiotic partner. The bacterium senses changes in its immediate environment as it establishes contact with the plant root, initiates invasion of the plant as the root nodule is formed, traverses several root cell layers, and enters plant cortical cells via endocytosis. We used genetics, transcriptomics, and functionality to characterize the entire S. meliloti cohort of ECF σs. We discovered new targets for individual σs, confirmed others by overexpressing individual ECF σs, and identified or confirmed putative promoter motifs for nine of them. We constructed precise deletions of each ECF σ gene and its demonstrated or putative anti-σ gene and also a strain in which all 11 ECF σ and anti-σ genes were deleted. This all-ECF σ deletion strain showed no major defects in free-living growth, in Biolog Phenotype MicroArray assays, or in response to multiple stresses. None of the ECF σs were required for symbiosis on the host plants Medicago sativa and Medicago truncatula: the strain deleted for all ECF σ and anti-σ genes was symbiotically normal.

IMPORTANCE Fixed (reduced) soil nitrogen plays a critical role in soil fertility and successful food growth. Much soil fertility relies on symbiotic nitrogen fixation: the bacterial partner infects the host plant roots and reduces atmospheric dinitrogen in exchange for host metabolic fuel, a process that involves complex interactions between the partners mediated by changes in gene expression in each partner. Here we test the roles of a family of 11 extracytoplasmic function (ECF) gene regulatory proteins (sigma factors [σs]) that interact with RNA polymerase to determine if they play a significant role in establishing a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis or in responding to various stresses, including cell envelope stress. We discovered that symbiotic nitrogen fixation occurs even when all 11 of these regulatory genes are deleted, that most ECF sigma factors control accessory functions, and that none of the ECF sigma factors are required to survive envelope stress.

Mutation in the pssZ Gene Negatively Impacts Exopolysaccharide Synthesis, Surface Properties, and Symbiosis of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii with Clover

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii is a soil bacterium capable of establishing a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with clover plants (Trifolium spp.). This bacterium secretes large amounts of acidic exopolysaccharide (EPS), which plays an essential role in the symbiotic interaction with the host plant. This polymer is biosynthesized by a multi-enzymatic complex located in the bacterial inner membrane, whose components are encoded by a large chromosomal gene cluster, called Pss-I. In this study, we characterize R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii strain Rt297 that harbors a Tn5 transposon insertion located in the pssZ gene from the Pss-I region. This gene codes for a protein that shares high identity with bacterial serine/threonine protein phosphatases. We demonstrated that the pssZ mutation causes pleiotropic effects in rhizobial cells. Strain Rt297 exhibited several physiological and symbiotic defects, such as lack of EPS production, reduced growth kinetics and motility, altered cell-surface properties, and failure to infect the host plant. These data indicate that the protein encoded by the pssZ gene is indispensable for EPS synthesis, but also required for proper functioning of R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii cells.

The crystal structure of XdpB, the bacterial old yellow enzyme, in an FMN-free form

Old Yellow Enzymes (OYEs) are NAD(P)H dehydrogenases of not fully resolved physiological roles that are widespread among bacteria, plants, and fungi and have a great potential for biotechnological applications. We determined the apo form crystal structure of a member of the OYE class, glycerol trinitrate reductase XdpB, from Agrobacterium bohemicum R89-1 at 2.1 Å resolution. In agreement with the structures of the related bacterial OYEs, the structure revealed the TIM barrel fold with an N-terminal β-hairpin lid, but surprisingly, the structure did not contain its cofactor FMN. Its putative binding site was occupied by a pentapeptide TTSDN from the C-terminus of a symmetry related molecule. Biochemical experiments confirmed a specific concentration-dependent oligomerization and a low FMN content. The blocking of the FMN binding site can exist in vivo and regulates enzyme activity. Our bioinformatic analysis indicated that a similar self-inhibition could be expected in more OYEs which we designated as subgroup OYE C1. This subgroup is widespread among G-bacteria and can be recognized by the conserved sequence GxxDYP in proximity of the C termini. In proteobacteria, the C1 subgroup OYEs are typically coded in one operon with short-chain dehydrogenase. This operon is controlled by the tetR-like transcriptional regulator. OYEs coded in these operons are unlikely to be involved in the oxidative stress response as the other known members of the OYE family because no upregulation of XdpB was observed after exposing A. bohemicum R89-1 to oxidative stress.

A Key Regulator of the Glycolytic and Gluconeogenic Central Metabolic Pathways in Sinorhizobium meliloti

The order Rhizobiales contains numerous agriculturally, biotechnologically, and medically important bacteria, including the rhizobia, and the genera Agrobacterium, Brucella, and Methylobacterium, among others. These organisms tend to be metabolically versatile, but there has been relatively little investigation into the regulation of their central carbon metabolic pathways. Here, RNA-sequencing and promoter fusion data are presented to show that the PckR protein is a key regulator of central carbon metabolism in Sinorhizobium meliloti; during growth with gluconeogenic substrates, PckR represses expression of the complete Entner-Doudoroff glycolytic pathway and induces expression of the pckA and fbaB gluconeogenic genes. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicate that PckR binds an imperfect palindromic sequence that overlaps the promoter or transcriptional start site in the negatively regulated promoters, or is present in tandem upstream the promoter motifs in the positively regulated promoters. Genetic and in vitro electrophoretic mobility shift assay experiments suggest that elevated concentrations of a PckR effector ligand results in the dissociation of PckR from its target binding site, and evidence is presented that suggests phosphoenolpyruvate may function as the effector. Characterization of missense pckR alleles identified three conserved residues important for increasing the affinity of PckR for its cognate effector molecule. Bioinformatics analyses illustrates that PckR is limited to a narrow phylogenetic range consisting of the Rhizobiaceae, Phyllobacteriaceae, Brucellaceae, and Bartonellaceae families. These data provide novel insights into the regulation of the core carbon metabolic pathways of this pertinent group of α-proteobacteria.

A conserved α-proteobacterial small RNA contributes to osmoadaptation and symbiotic efficiency of rhizobia on legume roots

Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) are expected to have pivotal roles in the adaptive responses underlying symbiosis of nitrogen-fixing rhizobia with legumes. Here, we provide primary insights into the function and activity mechanism of the Sinorhizobium meliloti trans-sRNA NfeR1 (Nodule Formation Efficiency RNA). Northern blot probing and transcription tracking with fluorescent promoter-reporter fusions unveiled high nfeR1 expression in response to salt stress and throughout the symbiotic interaction. The strength and differential regulation of nfeR1 transcription are conferred by a motif, which is conserved in nfeR1 promoter regions in α-proteobacteria. NfeR1 loss-of-function compromised osmoadaptation of free-living bacteria, whilst causing misregulation of salt-responsive genes related to stress adaptation, osmolytes catabolism and membrane trafficking. Nodulation tests revealed that lack of NfeR1 affected competitiveness, infectivity, nodule development and symbiotic efficiency of S. meliloti on alfalfa roots. Comparative computer predictions and a genetic reporter assay evidenced a redundant role of three identical NfeR1 unpaired anti Shine-Dalgarno motifs for targeting and downregulation of translation of multiple mRNAs from transporter genes. Our data provide genetic evidence of the hyperosmotic conditions of the endosymbiotic compartments. NfeR1-mediated gene regulation in response to this cue could contribute to coordinate nutrient uptake with the metabolic reprogramming concomitant to symbiotic transitions.

Functional metagenomics reveals novel β-galactosidases not predictable from gene sequences

The techniques of metagenomics have allowed researchers to access the genomic potential of uncultivated microbes, but there remain significant barriers to determination of gene function based on DNA sequence alone. Functional metagenomics, in which DNA is cloned and expressed in surrogate hosts, can overcome these barriers, and make important contributions to the discovery of novel enzymes. In this study, a soil metagenomic library carried in an IncP cosmid was used for functional complementation for β-galactosidase activity in both Sinorhizobium meliloti (α-Proteobacteria) and Escherichia coli (γ-Proteobacteria) backgrounds. One β-galactosidase, encoded by six overlapping clones that were selected in both hosts, was identified as a member of glycoside hydrolase family 2. We could not identify ORFs obviously encoding possible β-galactosidases in 19 other sequenced clones that were only able to complement S. meliloti. Based on low sequence identity to other known glycoside hydrolases, yet not β-galactosidases, three of these ORFs were examined further. Biochemical analysis confirmed that all three encoded β-galactosidase activity. Lac36W_ORF11 and Lac161_ORF7 had conserved domains, but lacked similarities to known glycoside hydrolases. Lac161_ORF10 had neither conserved domains nor similarity to known glycoside hydrolases. Bioinformatic and structural modeling implied that Lac161_ORF10 protein represented a novel enzyme family with a five-bladed propeller glycoside hydrolase domain. By discovering founding members of three novel β-galactosidase families, we have reinforced the value of functional metagenomics for isolating novel genes that could not have been predicted from DNA sequence analysis alone.

Carotenoid Biosynthetic Pathways Are Regulated by a Network of Multiple Cascades of Alternative Sigma Factors in Azospirillum brasilense Sp7

Carotenoids constitute an important component of the defense system against photooxidative stress in bacteria. In Azospirillum brasilense Sp7, a nonphotosynthetic rhizobacterium, carotenoid synthesis is controlled by a pair of extracytoplasmic function sigma factors (RpoEs) and their cognate zinc-binding anti-sigma factors (ChrRs). Its genome harbors two copies of the gene encoding geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase (CrtE), the first critical step in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway in bacteria. Inactivation of each of two crtE paralogs found in A. brasilense caused reduction in carotenoid content, suggesting their involvement in carotenoid synthesis. However, the effect of crtE1 deletion was more pronounced than that of crtE2 deletion. Out of the five paralogs of rpoH in A. brasilense, overexpression of rpoH1 and rpoH2 enhanced carotenoid synthesis. Promoters of crtE2 and rpoH2 were found to be dependent on RpoH2 and RpoE1, respectively. Using a two-plasmid system in Escherichia coli, we have shown that the crtE2 gene of A. brasilense Sp7 is regulated by two cascades of sigma factors: one consisting of RpoE1and RpoH2 and the other consisting of RpoE2 and RpoH1. In addition, expression of crtE1 was upregulated indirectly by RpoE1 and RpoE2. This study shows, for the first time in any carotenoid-producing bacterium, that the regulation of carotenoid biosynthetic pathway involves a network of multiple cascades of alternative sigma factors.

IMPORTANCE

Carotenoids play a very important role in coping with photooxidative stress in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Although extracytoplasmic function (ECF) sigma factors are known to directly regulate the expression of carotenoid biosynthetic genes in bacteria, regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis by one or multiple cascades of sigma factors had not been reported. This study provides the first evidence of the involvement of multiple cascades of sigma factors in the regulation of carotenoid synthesis in any bacterium by showing the regulation of a gene encoding geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase (crtE2) by RpoE1→RpoH2→CrtE2 and RpoE2→RpoH1→CrtE2 cascades in A. brasilense It also provides an insight into existence of an additional cascade or cascades regulating expression of another paralog of crtE.

Region 4 of Rhizobium etli Primary Sigma Factor (SigA) Confers Transcriptional Laxity in Escherichia coli

Sigma factors are RNA polymerase subunits engaged in promoter recognition and DNA strand separation during transcription initiation in bacteria. Primary sigma factors are responsible for the expression of housekeeping genes and are essential for survival. RpoD, the primary sigma factor of Escherichia coli, a γ-proteobacteria, recognizes consensus promoter sequences highly similar to those of some α-proteobacteria species. Despite this resemblance, RpoD is unable to sustain transcription from most of the α-proteobacterial promoters tested so far. In contrast, we have found that SigA, the primary sigma factor of Rhizobium etli, an α-proteobacteria, is able to transcribe E. coli promoters, although it exhibits only 48% identity (98% coverage) to RpoD. We have called this the transcriptional laxity phenomenon. Here, we show that SigA partially complements the thermo-sensitive deficiency of RpoD285 from E. coli strain UQ285 and that the SigA region σ4 is responsible for this phenotype. Sixteen out of 74 residues (21.6%) within region σ4 are variable between RpoD and SigA. Mutating these residues significantly improves SigA ability to complement E. coli UQ285. Only six of these residues fall into positions already known to interact with promoter DNA and to comprise a helix-turn-helix motif. The remaining variable positions are located on previously unexplored sites inside region σ4, specifically into the first two α-helices of the region. Neither of the variable positions confined to these helices seem to interact directly with promoter sequence; instead, we adduce that these residues participate allosterically by contributing to correct region folding and/or positioning of the HTH motif. We propose that transcriptional laxity is a mechanism for ensuring transcription in spite of naturally occurring mutations from endogenous promoters and/or horizontally transferred DNA sequences, allowing survival and fast environmental adaptation of α-proteobacteria.

LDSS-P: an advanced algorithm to extract functional short motifs associated with coordinated gene expression

Identifying functional elements in promoter sequences is a major goal in computational and experimental genome biology. Here, we describe an algorithm, Local Distribution of Short Sequences for Prokaryotes (LDSS-P), to identify conserved short motifs located at specific positions in the promoters of co-expressed prokaryotic genes. As a test case, we applied this algorithm to a symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacterium, Sinorhizobium meliloti. The LDSS-P profiles that overlap with the 5′ section of the extracytoplasmic function RNA polymerase sigma factor RpoE2 consensus sequences displayed a sharp peak between -34 and -32 from TSS positions. The corresponding genes overlap significantly with RpoE2 targets identified from previous experiments. We further identified several groups of genes that are co-regulated with characterized marker genes. Our data indicate that in S. meliloti, and possibly in other Rhizobiaceae species, the master cell cycle regulator CtrA may recognize an expanded motif (AACCAT), which is positionally shifted from the previously reported CtrA consensus sequence in Caulobacter crescentus. Bacterial one-hybrid experiments showed that base substitution in the expanded motif either increase or decrease the binding by CtrA. These results show the effectiveness of LDSS-P as a method to delineate functional promoter elements.

Evolution of a Sigma Factor: An All-In-One of Gene Duplication, Horizontal Gene Transfer, Purifying Selection, and Promoter Differentiation

Sigma factors are an essential part of bacterial gene regulation and have been extensively studied as far as their molecular mechanisms and protein structure are concerned. However, their molecular evolution, especially for the alternative sigma factors, is poorly understood. Here, we analyze the evolutionary forces that have shaped the rpoH sigma factors within the alphaproteobacteria. We found that an ancient duplication gave rise to two major groups of rpoH sigma factors and that after this event horizontal gene transfer (HGT) occurred in rpoH₁ group. We also noted that purifying selection has differentially affected distinct parts of the gene; singularly, the gene segment that encodes the region 4.2, which interacts with the −35 motif of the RpoH-dependent genes, has been under relaxed purifying selection. Furthermore, these two major groups are clearly differentiated from one another regarding their promoter selectivity, as rpoH₁ is under the transcriptional control of σ⁷⁰ and σ³², whereas rpoH₂ is under the transcriptional control of σ²⁴. Our results suggest a scenario in which HGT, gene loss, variable purifying selection and clear promoter specialization occurred after the ancestral duplication event. More generally, our study offers insights into the molecular evolution of alternative sigma factors and highlights the importance of analyzing not only the coding regions but also the promoter regions.

Transcriptome profiling of a Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii rosR mutant reveals the role of the transcriptional regulator RosR in motility, synthesis of cell-surface components, and other cellular processes

Background

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii is a soil bacterium capable of establishing a symbiotic relationship with red clover (Trifolium pratense). The presence of surface polysaccharides and other extracellular components as well as motility and competitiveness are essential traits for both adaptation of this bacterium to changing environmental conditions and successful infection of host plant roots. The R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii rosR gene encodes a protein belonging to the family of Ros/MucR transcriptional regulators, which contain a Cys₂His₂-type zinc-finger motif and are involved in the regulation of exopolysaccharide synthesis in several rhizobial species. Previously, it was established that a mutation in the rosR gene significantly decreased exopolysaccharide synthesis, increased bacterial sensitivity to some stress factors, and negatively affected infection of clover roots.

Results

RNA-Seq analysis performed for the R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii wild-type strain Rt24.2 and its derivative Rt2472 carrying a rosR mutation identified a large number of genes which were differentially expressed in these two backgrounds. A considerable majority of these genes were up-regulated in the mutant (63.22 %), indicating that RosR functions mainly as a repressor. Transcriptome profiling of the rosR mutant revealed a role of this regulator in several cellular processes, including the synthesis of cell-surface components and polysaccharides, motility, and bacterial metabolism. Moreover, it was established that the Rt2472 strain was characterized by a longer generation time and showed an increased aggregation ability, but was impaired in motility as a result of considerably reduced flagellation of its cells.

Conclusions

The comparative transcriptome analysis of R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii wild-type Rt24.2 and the Rt2472 mutant identified a set of genes belonging to the RosR regulon and confirmed the important role of RosR in the regulatory network. The data obtained in this study indicate that this protein affects several cellular processes and plays an important role in bacterial adaptation to environmental conditions.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-2332-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Bacterial clade with the ribosomal RNA operon on a small plasmid rather than the chromosome

rRNA is essential for life because of its functional importance in protein synthesis. The rRNA (rrn) operon encoding 16S, 23S, and 5S rRNAs is located on the "main" chromosome in all bacteria documented to date and is frequently used as a marker of chromosomes. Here, our genome analysis of a plant-associated alphaproteobacterium, Aureimonas sp. AU20, indicates that this strain has its sole rrn operon on a small (9.4 kb), high-copy-number replicon. We designated this unusual replicon carrying the rrn operon on the background of an rrn-lacking chromosome (RLC) as the rrn-plasmid. Four of 12 strains close to AU20 also had this RLC/rrn-plasmid organization. Phylogenetic analysis showed that those strains having the RLC/rrn-plasmid organization represented one clade within the genus Aureimonas. Our finding introduces a previously unaddressed viewpoint into studies of genetics, genomics, and evolution in microbiology and biology in general.

RNA-Seq analysis of the multipartite genome of Rhizobium etli CE3 shows different replicon contributions under heat and saline shock

Background

Regulation of transcription is essential for any organism and Rhizobium etli (a multi-replicon, nitrogen-fixing symbiotic bacterium) is no exception. This bacterium is commonly found in the rhizosphere (free-living) or inside of root-nodules of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in a symbiotic relationship. Abiotic stresses, such as high soil temperatures and salinity, compromise the genetic stability of R. etli and therefore its symbiotic interaction with P. vulgaris. However, it is still unclear which genes are up- or down-regulated to cope with these stress conditions. The aim of this study was to identify the genes and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are differentially expressed under heat and saline shock, as well as the promoter regions of the up-regulated loci.

Results

Analysing the heat and saline shock responses of R. etli CE3 through RNA-Seq, we identified 756 and 392 differentially expressed genes, respectively, and 106 were up-regulated under both conditions. Notably, the set of genes over-expressed under either condition was preferentially encoded on plasmids, although this observation was more significant for the heat shock response. In contrast, during either saline shock or heat shock, the down-regulated genes were principally chromosomally encoded. Our functional analysis shows that genes encoding chaperone proteins were up-regulated during the heat shock response, whereas genes involved in the metabolism of compatible solutes were up-regulated following saline shock. Furthermore, we identified thirteen and nine ncRNAs that were differentially expressed under heat and saline shock, respectively, as well as eleven ncRNAs that had not been previously identified. Finally, using an in silico analysis, we studied the promoter motifs in all of the non-coding regions associated with the genes and ncRNAs up-regulated under both conditions.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that the replicon contribution is different for different stress responses and that the heat shock response is more complex than the saline shock response. In general, this work exemplifies how strategies that not only consider differentially regulated genes but also regulatory elements of the stress response provide a more comprehensive view of bacterial gene regulation.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-770) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The Sinorhizobium meliloti EmrAB efflux system is regulated by flavonoids through a TetR-like regulator (EmrR)

The divergently oriented Sinorhizobium meliloti emrAB (SMc03168 and SMc03167) and emrR (SMc03169) genes are predicted to encode an efflux system of the major facilitator superfamily and a TetR-like transcriptional regulator, respectively. The transcription of the emrA gene was found to be inducible by flavonoids, including luteolin and apigenin, which are known inducers of the nodulation genes in S. meliloti. Interestingly, quercetin, which does not induce nodulation genes, was also a potent inducer of emrA, indicating that NodD is not directly involved in regulation of emrA. The likely regulator of emrAB is EmrR, which binds to palindrome-like sequences in the intergenic region. Several modifications of the palindromes, including an increase of the spacing between the two half sites, prevented binding of EmrR. Binding was also impaired by the presence of luteolin. Mutations in emrA had no obvious effect on symbiosis. This was in contrast to the emrR mutant, which exhibited a symbiotic deficiency with Medicago sativa. Conserved binding sites for TetR-like regulators within the intergenic regions between the emrAB and emrR genes were identified in many symbiotic and pathogenic members of the order Rhizobiales.

ExpR coordinates the expression of symbiotically important, bundle-forming Flp pili with quorum sensing in Sinorhizobium meliloti

Type IVb pili in enteropathogenic bacteria function as a host colonization factor by mediating tight adherence to host cells, but their role in bacterium-plant symbiosis is currently unknown. The genome of the symbiotic soil bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti contains two clusters encoding proteins for type IVb pili of the Flp (fimbrial low-molecular-weight protein) subfamily. To establish the role of Flp pili in the symbiotic interaction of S. meliloti and its host, Medicago sativa, we deleted pilA1, which encodes the putative pilin subunit in the chromosomal flp-1 cluster and conducted competitive nodulation assays. The pilA1 deletion strain formed 27% fewer nodules than the wild type. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of bundle-forming pili protruding from the polar and lateral region of S. meliloti wild-type cells. The putative pilus assembly ATPase CpaE1 fused to mCherry showed a predominantly unilateral localization. Transcriptional reporter gene assays demonstrated that expression of pilA1 peaks in early stationary phase and is repressed by the quorum-sensing regulator ExpR, which also controls production of exopolysaccharides and motility. Binding of acyl homoserine lactone-activated ExpR to the pilA1 promoter was confirmed with electrophoretic mobility shift assays. A 17-bp consensus sequence for ExpR binding was identified within the 28-bp protected region by DNase I footprinting analyses. Our results show that Flp pili are important for efficient symbiosis of S. meliloti with its plant host. The temporal inverse regulation of exopolysaccharides and pili by ExpR enables S. meliloti to achieve a coordinated expression of cellular processes during early stages of host interaction.

Expression of the Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii pssA gene, involved in exopolysaccharide synthesis, is regulated by RosR, phosphate, and the carbon source

Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii pssA encodes a glucosyl-isoprenylphosphate (IP)-transferase involved in the first step of exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis. It was found that the pssA gene is an important target for regulation of this biosynthetic pathway. The data of this study indicate that pssA transcription is a very complex and mainly positively regulated process. A detailed analysis of a 767-bp-long pssA upstream region revealed the presence of several sequence motifs recognized by regulatory proteins that are associated with phosphate-, carbon-, and iron-dependent regulation. In addition, numerous inverted repeats of different lengths have been identified in this region. pssA transcription is directed from two distal P1 and proximal P3 promoters whose sequences demonstrate a significant identity to promoters recognized by RNA polymerase sigma factor σ(70). Among rhizobial proteins, RosR seems to be a primary regulator that positively affects pssA expression. This protein binds to RosR box 1 located downstream of the P1 promoter. In addition, phosphate and the carbon source strongly affect pssA transcription. A significantly lower level of pssA expression was observed in both the wild-type strain growing under phosphate-rich conditions and the phoB mutant. In this regulation, the PhoB protein and Pho box 2 located upstream of the P3 promoter were engaged. pssA transcription is also significantly affected by glucose. Transcriptional analysis of a set of pssA-lacZ fusions expressed in Escherichia coli wild-type and cyaA and crp mutants confirmed that cyclic AMP (cAMP) receptor protein (CRP) and two cAMP-CRP boxes located upstream of the P1 are required for this upregulation. Moreover, the production of EPS was totally abolished in R. leguminosarum bv. trifolii mutant strains 4440 and 1012 containing a Tn5 insertion downstream of the P3 promoter and downstream of the P3 -35 hexamer, respectively.

Next-generation annotation of prokaryotic genomes with EuGene-P: application to Sinorhizobium meliloti 2011

The availability of next-generation sequences of transcripts from prokaryotic organisms offers the opportunity to design a new generation of automated genome annotation tools not yet available for prokaryotes. In this work, we designed EuGene-P, the first integrative prokaryotic gene finder tool which combines a variety of high-throughput data, including oriented RNA-Seq data, directly into the prediction process. This enables the automated prediction of coding sequences (CDSs), untranslated regions, transcription start sites (TSSs) and non-coding RNA (ncRNA, sense and antisense) genes. EuGene-P was used to comprehensively and accurately annotate the genome of the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti strain 2011, leading to the prediction of 6308 CDSs as well as 1876 ncRNAs. Among them, 1280 appeared as antisense to a CDS, which supports recent findings that antisense transcription activity is widespread in bacteria. Moreover, 4077 TSSs upstream of protein-coding or non-coding genes were precisely mapped providing valuable data for the study of promoter regions. By looking for RpoE2-binding sites upstream of annotated TSSs, we were able to extend the S. meliloti RpoE2 regulon by ∼3-fold. Altogether, these observations demonstrate the power of EuGene-P to produce a reliable and high-resolution automatic annotation of prokaryotic genomes.

Global mapping of transcription start sites and promoter motifs in the symbiotic α-proteobacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021

BACKGROUND

Sinorhizobium meliloti is a soil-dwelling α-proteobacterium that possesses a large, tripartite genome and engages in a nitrogen fixing symbiosis with its plant hosts. Although much is known about this important model organism, global characterization of genetic regulatory circuits has been hampered by a lack of information about transcription and promoters.

RESULTS

Using an RNAseq approach and RNA populations representing 16 different growth and stress conditions, we comprehensively mapped S. meliloti transcription start sites (TSS). Our work identified 17,001 TSS that we grouped into six categories based on the genomic context of their transcripts: mRNA (4,430 TSS assigned to 2,657 protein-coding genes), leaderless mRNAs (171), putative mRNAs (425), internal sense transcripts (7,650), antisense RNA (3,720), and trans-encoded sRNAs (605). We used this TSS information to identify transcription factor binding sites and putative promoter sequences recognized by seven of the 15 known S. meliloti σ factors σ70, σ54, σH1, σH2, σE1, σE2, and σE9). Altogether, we predicted 2,770 new promoter sequences, including 1,302 located upstream of protein coding genes and 722 located upstream of antisense RNA or trans-encoded sRNA genes. To validate promoter predictions for targets of the general stress response σ factor, RpoE2 (σE2), we identified rpoE2-dependent genes using microarrays and confirmed TSS for a subset of these by 5' RACE mapping.

CONCLUSIONS

By identifying TSS and promoters on a global scale, our work provides a firm foundation for the continued study of S. meliloti gene expression with relation to gene organization, σ factors and other transcription factors, and regulatory RNAs.

A CsrA/RsmA translational regulator gene encoded in the replication region of a Sinorhizobium meliloti cryptic plasmid complements Pseudomonas fluorescens rsmA/E mutants

Members of the CsrA/RsmA family are global regulatory proteins that bind to mRNAs, usually at the ribosome-binding site, to control mRNA translation and stability. Their activity is counteracted by small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs), which offer several binding sites to compete with mRNA binding. The csrA/rsmA genes are widespread in prokaryotic chromosomes, although certain phylogenetic groups such as Alphaproteobacteria lack this type of global regulator. Interestingly, a csrA/rsmA-like sequence was identified in the replication region of plasmid pMBA19a from the alphaproteobacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti. This rsmA-like allele (rsmA(Sm)) is 58 % identical to Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri chromosomal rsmA and bears an unusual C-terminal extension that may fold into an extra α-helix. Homology-based modelling of RsmA(Sm) suggests that all key mRNA-binding residues are conserved and correctly positioned in the RNA-binding pocket. In fact, a 1.6 kb fragment from pMBA19a encompassing the rsmA(Sm) locus restored rsmA/E-dependent phenotypes of rsmA/E gacS Pseudomonas fluorescens mutants. The functionality of RsmA(Sm) was confirmed by the gain of control over target aprA'-'lacZ and hcnA'-'lacZ translational fusions in the same mutant background. The RsmA(Sm) activity correlated with Western blot detection of the polypeptide. Phenotype and translational fusion data from rsmA/E P. fluorescens mutants expressing RsmX/Y/Z RNAs indicated that RsmA(Sm) is able to bind these antagonistic sRNAs. In agreement with the latter observation, it was also found that the sRNA RsmY was stabilized by RsmA(Sm). Deletion of the C-terminal extra α-helix of RsmA(Sm) affected its cellular concentration, but increased its relative RNA-binding activity. This is believed to be the first report of the presence and characterization of a functional csrA/rsmA homologue in a mobile genetic element.

RpoH2 sigma factor controls the photooxidative stress response in a non-photosynthetic rhizobacterium, Azospirillum brasilense Sp7

Bacteria belonging to the Alphaproteobacteria normally harbour multiple copies of the heat shock sigma factor (known as σ(32), σ(H) or RpoH). Azospirillum brasilense, a non-photosynthetic rhizobacterium, harbours five copies of rpoH genes, one of which is an rpoH2 homologue. The genes around the rpoH2 locus in A. brasilense show synteny with that found in rhizobia. The rpoH2 of A. brasilense was able to complement the temperature-sensitive phenotype of the Escherichia coli rpoH mutant. Inactivation of rpoH2 in A. brasilense results in increased sensitivity to methylene blue and to triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC). Exposure of A. brasilense to TTC and the singlet oxygen-generating agent methylene blue induced several-fold higher expression of rpoH2. Comparison of the proteome of A. brasilense with its rpoH2 deletion mutant and with an A. brasilense strain overexpressing rpoH2 revealed chaperone GroEL, elongation factors (Ef-Tu and EF-G), peptidyl prolyl isomerase, and peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase as the major proteins whose expression was controlled by RpoH2. Here, we show that the RpoH2 sigma factor-controlled photooxidative stress response in A. brasilense is similar to that in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides, but that RpoH2 is not involved in the detoxification of methylglyoxal in A. brasilense.

Dual RpoH sigma factors and transcriptional plasticity in a symbiotic bacterium

Sinorhizobium meliloti can live as a soil saprophyte and can engage in a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with plant roots. To succeed in such diverse environments, the bacteria must continually adjust gene expression. Transcriptional plasticity in eubacteria is often mediated by alternative sigma (σ) factors interacting with core RNA polymerase. The S. meliloti genome encodes 14 of these alternative σ factors, including two putative RpoH ("heat shock") σ factors. We used custom Affymetrix symbiosis chips to characterize the global transcriptional response of S. meliloti rpoH1, rpoH2, and rpoH1 rpoH2 mutants during heat shock and stationary-phase growth. Under these conditions, expression of over 300 genes is dependent on rpoH1 and rpoH2. We mapped transcript start sites of 69 rpoH-dependent genes using 5' RACE (5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends), which allowed us to determine putative RpoH1-dependent, RpoH2-dependent, and dual-promoter (RpoH1- and RpoH2-dependent) consensus sequences that were each used to search the genome for other potential direct targets of RpoH. The inferred S. meliloti RpoH promoter consensus sequences share features of Escherichia coli RpoH promoters but lack extended -10 motifs.

Deep sequencing uncovers numerous small RNAs on all four replicons of the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Agrobacterium species are capable of interkingdom gene transfer between bacteria and plants. The genome of Agrobacterium tumefaciens consists of a circular and a linear chromosome, the At-plasmid and the Ti-plasmid, which harbors bacterial virulence genes required for tumor formation in plants. Little is known about promoter sequences and the small RNA (sRNA) repertoire of this and other α-proteobacteria. We used a differential RNA sequencing (dRNA-seq) approach to map transcriptional start sites of 388 annotated genes and operons. In addition, a total number of 228 sRNAs was revealed from all four Agrobacterium replicons. Twenty-two of these were confirmed by independent RNA gel blot analysis and several sRNAs were differentially expressed in response to growth media, growth phase, temperature or pH. One sRNA from the Ti-plasmid was massively induced under virulence conditions. The presence of 76 cis-antisense sRNAs, two of them on the reverse strand of virulence genes, suggests considerable antisense transcription in Agrobacterium. The information gained from this study provides a valuable reservoir for an in-depth understanding of sRNA-mediated regulation of the complex physiology and infection process of Agrobacterium.

Unveiling Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae promoters: sequence definition and genomic distribution

Several Mycoplasma species have had their genome completely sequenced, including four strains of the swine pathogen Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Nevertheless, little is known about the nucleotide sequences that control transcriptional initiation in these microorganisms. Therefore, with the objective of investigating the promoter sequences of M. hyopneumoniae, 23 transcriptional start sites (TSSs) of distinct genes were mapped. A pattern that resembles the σ⁷⁰ promoter −10 element was found upstream of the TSSs. However, no −35 element was distinguished. Instead, an AT-rich periodic signal was identified. About half of the experimentally defined promoters contained the motif 5′-TRTGn-3′, which was identical to the −16 element usually found in Gram-positive bacteria. The defined promoters were utilized to build position-specific scoring matrices in order to scan putative promoters upstream of all coding sequences (CDSs) in the M. hyopneumoniae genome. Two hundred and one signals were found associated with 169 CDSs. Most of these sequences were located within 100 nucleotides of the start codons. This study has shown that the number of promoter-like sequences in the M. hyopneumoniae genome is more frequent than expected by chance, indicating that most of the sequences detected are probably biologically functional.

A survey of sRNA families in α-proteobacteria

We have performed a computational comparative analysis of six small non-coding RNA (sRNA) families in α-proteobacteria. Members of these families were first identified in the intergenic regions of the nitrogen-fixing endosymbiont S. meliloti by a combined bioinformatics screen followed by experimental verification. Consensus secondary structures inferred from covariance models for each sRNA family evidenced in some cases conserved motifs putatively relevant to the function of trans-encoded base-pairing sRNAs i.e., Hfq-binding signatures and exposed anti Shine-Dalgarno sequences. Two particular family models, namely αr15 and αr35, shared own sub-structural modules with the Rfam model suhB (RF00519) and the uncharacterized sRNA family αr35b, respectively. A third sRNA family, termed αr45, has homology to the cis-acting regulatory element speF (RF00518). However, new experimental data further confirmed that the S. meliloti αr45 representative is an Hfq-binding sRNA processed from or expressed independently of speF, thus refining the Rfam speF model annotation. All the six families have members in phylogenetically related plant-interacting bacteria and animal pathogens of the order of the Rhizobiales, some occurring with high levels of paralogy in individual genomes. In silico and experimental evidences predict differential regulation of paralogous sRNAs in S. meliloti 1021. The distribution patterns of these sRNA families suggest major contributions of vertical inheritance and extensive ancestral duplication events to the evolution of sRNAs in plant-interacting bacteria.

The RpiR-like repressor IolR regulates inositol catabolism in Sinorhizobium meliloti

Sinorhizobium meliloti, the nitrogen-fixing symbiont of alfalfa, has the ability to catabolize myo-, scyllo-, and D-chiro-inositol. Functional inositol catabolism (iol) genes are required for growth on these inositol isomers, and they play a role during plant-bacterium interactions. The inositol catabolism genes comprise the chromosomally encoded iolA (mmsA) and the iolY(smc01163)RCDEB genes, as well as the idhA gene located on the pSymB plasmid. Reverse transcriptase assays showed that the iolYRCDEB genes are transcribed as one operon. The iol genes were weakly expressed without induction, but their expression was strongly induced by myo-inositol. The putative transcriptional regulator of the iol genes, IolR, belongs to the RpiR-like repressor family. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that IolR recognized a conserved palindromic sequence (5'-GGAA-N6-TTCC-3') in the upstream regions of the idhA, iolY, iolR, and iolC genes. Complementation assays found IolR to be required for the repression of its own gene and for the downregulation of the idhA-encoded myo-inositol dehydrogenase activity in the presence and absence of inositol. Further expression studies indicated that the late pathway intermediate 2-keto-5-deoxy-D-gluconic acid 6-phosphate (KDGP) functions as the true inducer of the iol genes. The iolA (mmsA) gene encoding methylmalonate semialdehyde dehydrogenase was not regulated by IolR. The S. meliloti iolA (mmsA) gene product seems to be involved in more than only the inositol catabolic pathway, since it was also found to be essential for valine catabolism, supporting its more recent annotation as mmsA.

An ABC-type cobalt transport system is essential for growth of Sinorhizobium meliloti at trace metal concentrations

We report expression and mutant phenotypes for a gene cluster in Sinorhizobium meliloti, designated cbtJKL, that has been shown to encode an ABC-type cobalt transport system. Transcription of cbtJKL initiated 384 nucleotides upstream from the cbtJ translation start codon, and the resulting 5' region contained a putative B(12)riboswitch. Expression of the cbtJKL genes appeared to be controlled by (cobalt-loaded) cobalamin interacting at the B(12)riboswitch, since (i) a putative B(12)riboswitch was located within this large upstream region, (ii) cbtJ transcription was repressed upon addition of cobalt or vitamin B(12), and (iii) deletions in the B(12)riboswitch resulted in constitutive cbtJKL transcription. Insertion mutants in cbtJKL failed to grow in LB medium, and growth was restored through the addition of cobalt but not other metals. This growth phenotype appeared to be due to the chelation of cobalt present in LB, and cbtJKL mutants also failed to grow in minimal medium containing the chelating agent EDTA unless the medium was supplemented with additional or excess cobalt. In uptake experiments, (57)Co(2+)accumulation was high in wild-type cells expressing the cbtJKL genes, whereas wild-type cells in which cbtJKL expression was repressed showed reduced accumulation. In cbtJKL mutant cells, (57)Co(2+)accumulation was reduced relative to that of the wild type, and presumably, this residual cobalt transport occurred via an alternate ion uptake system(s) that is not specific to cobalt. In symbiosis, the alternate system(s) appeared to mediate cobalt transport into bacteroid cells, as low cbtJKL expression was detected in bacteroids and cbtJKL mutants formed N(2)-fixing nodules on alfalfa.

Involvement of multiple loci in quorum quenching of autoinducer I molecules in the nitrogen-fixing symbiont Rhizobium (Sinorhizobium) sp. strain NGR234

Rhizobium sp. strain NGR234 is a unique alphaproteobacterium (order Rhizobiales) that forms nitrogen-fixing nodules with more legumes than any other microsymbiont. Since we have previously described the complete genome sequence of NGR234, we now report on a genome-wide functional analysis of the genes and enzymes involved in autoinducer I hydrolysis in this microbe. Altogether we identified five cosmid clones that repeatedly gave a positive result in our function-based approach for the detection of autoinducer I hydrolase genes. Of these five cosmid clones, two were located on pNGR234b and three were on cNGR234. Subcloning and in vitro mutagenesis in combination with BLAST analyses identified the corresponding open reading frames (ORFs) of all cosmid clones: dlhR, qsdR1, qsdR2, aldR, and hitR-hydR. Analyses of recombinant DlhR and QsdR1 proteins by using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) demonstrate that these enzymes function as acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) lactonases. Furthermore, we showed that these enzymes inhibited biofilm formation and other quorum-sensing-dependent processes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Chromobacterium violaceum, and Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Finally, our experimental data suggest that competitive colonization of roots in the rhizospheres of cowpea plants is affected by DlhR and QsdR1.

Tools for genetic manipulation of the plant growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum amazonense

Background

Azospirillum amazonense has potential to be used as agricultural inoculant since it promotes plant growth without causing pollution, unlike industrial fertilizers. Owing to this fact, the study of this species has gained interest. However, a detailed understanding of its genetics and physiology is limited by the absence of appropriate genetic tools for the study of this species.

Results

Conjugation and electrotransformation methods were established utilizing vectors with broad host-replication origins (pVS1 and pBBR1). Two genes of interest - glnK and glnB, encoding PII regulatory proteins - were isolated. Furthermore, glnK-specific A. amazonense mutants were generated utilizing the pK19MOBSACB vector system. Finally, a promoter analysis protocol based on fluorescent protein expression was optimized to aid genetic regulation studies on this bacterium.

Conclusion

In this work, genetic tools that can support the study of A. amazonense were described. These methods could provide a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms of this species that underlie its plant growth promotion.

Evidences of autoregulation of hfq expression in Sinorhizobium meliloti strain 2011

Riboregulation comprises gene expression regulatory mechanisms that rely upon the activity of small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) and in most cases RNA binding proteins. In γ-proteobacteria, the Sm-like protein Hfq is a key player in riboregulatory processes, because it promotes sRNA-mRNA interactions and influences mRNA polyadenylation or translation. In the α-proteobacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti, the large number of detected small RNA transcripts and the pleiotropic effects of hfq mutations lead to the hypothesis that riboregulatory mechanisms are important in this soil microorganism to adjust gene expression both in free-living conditions and as a nitrogen-fixing endosymbiont within legume root nodules. In this study, homology modeling of S. meliloti Hfq protein and cross-complementation experiments of S. meliloti and Escherichia coli mutants indicates that hfq ( Sm ) encodes an RNA chaperone that can be functionally exchanged by its homolog from E. coli. A transcriptional and translational analysis of S. meliloti hfq expression by means of lacZ reporter fusions strongly suggests that the S. meliloti Hfq protein autocontrols its expression at the translational level, a phenomenon that was evident in the natural host S. meliloti as well as in the heterologous host E. coli.

A genome-wide survey of sRNAs in the symbiotic nitrogen-fixing alpha-proteobacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti

Background

Small untranslated RNAs (sRNAs) are widespread regulators of gene expression in bacteria. This study reports on a comprehensive screen for sRNAs in the symbiotic nitrogen-fixing alpha-proteobacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti applying deep sequencing of cDNAs and microarray hybridizations.

Results

A total of 1,125 sRNA candidates that were classified as trans-encoded sRNAs (173), cis-encoded antisense sRNAs (117), mRNA leader transcripts (379), and sense sRNAs overlapping coding regions (456) were identified in a size range of 50 to 348 nucleotides. Among these were transcripts corresponding to 82 previously reported sRNA candidates. Enrichment for RNAs with primary 5'-ends prior to sequencing of cDNAs suggested transcriptional start sites corresponding to 466 predicted sRNA regions. The consensus σ⁷⁰ promoter motif CTTGAC-N₁₇-CTATAT was found upstream of 101 sRNA candidates. Expression patterns derived from microarray hybridizations provided further information on conditions of expression of a number of sRNA candidates. Furthermore, GenBank, EMBL, DDBJ, PDB, and Rfam databases were searched for homologs of the sRNA candidates identified in this study. Searching Rfam family models with over 1,000 sRNA candidates, re-discovered only those sequences from S. meliloti already known and stored in Rfam, whereas BLAST searches suggested a number of homologs in related alpha-proteobacteria.

Conclusions

The screening data suggests that in S. meliloti about 3% of the genes encode trans-encoded sRNAs and about 2% antisense transcripts. Thus, this first comprehensive screen for sRNAs applying deep sequencing in an alpha-proteobacterium shows that sRNAs also occur in high number in this group of bacteria.

phrR-like gene praR of Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571 is essential for symbiosis with Sesbania rostrata and is involved in expression of reb genes

This study focuses on the function of the gene praR that encodes a putative transcription factor in Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571, a microsymbiont of Sesbania rostrata. The praR gene is a homolog of the phrR gene of Sinorhizobium medicae WSM419, and the praR and phrR homologs are distributed throughout the class Alphaproteobacteria. The growth and nitrogen fixation activity of an A. caulinodans praR deletion mutant in the free-living state were not significantly different from those of the wild-type strain. However, the stem nodules formed by the praR mutant showed lower nitrogen fixation activity than the wild-type stem nodules. Microscopy revealed that infected host cells with an oval or elongated shape were observed at early stages in the nodules formed by the praR mutant, but these infected cells gradually fell into two types. One maintained an oval or elongated shape, but the vacuoles in these cells gradually enlarged and the bacteria gradually disappeared. The other cells were shrunken with bacteria remaining inside. Microarrays revealed that genes homologous to the reb genes of Caedibacter taeniospiralis were highly expressed in the praR mutant. Furthermore, the stem nodules formed by an A. caulinodans mutant with a deletion of praR and reb-homologous genes showed high nitrogen fixation activity, comparable to that of the wild-type stem nodules, and were filled with oval or elongated host cells. These results suggest that PraR controls the expression of the reb-homologous genes and that high expression of reb-homologous genes causes aberrance in A. caulinodans-S. rostrata symbiosis.

Identification of direct transcriptional target genes of ExoS/ChvI two-component signaling in Sinorhizobium meliloti

The Sinorhizobium meliloti ExoS/ChvI two-component signaling pathway is required for the development of a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis between S. meliloti and its plant hosts. ExoS/ChvI also has important roles in regulating succinoglycan production, biofilm formation, motility, nutrient utilization, and the viability of free-living bacteria. Previous microarray experiments with an exoS96::Tn5 mutant indicated that ExoS/ChvI influences the expression of a few hundred genes, complicating the investigation of which downstream genes respond directly or indirectly to ExoS/ChvI regulation. To focus our study of ExoS/ChvI transcriptional target genes, we performed transcriptional profiling with chvI gain-of-function and reduced-function strains. The chvI gain-of-function strain that we used contains a dominant gain-of-function chvI allele in addition to wild-type chvI. We identified genes that, relative to their expression level in the wild type, are both upregulated in the chvI gain-of-function strain and downregulated in the reduced-function strain or vice versa. Guided by this focused set of genes, we performed gel mobility shift assays and demonstrated that ChvI directly binds the intergenic regions upstream of ropB1, SMb21440, and SMc01580. Furthermore, DNase I footprint analysis of the region upstream of SMc01580 identified a specific DNA sequence bound by ChvI and allowed the discovery of a possible motif for ChvI binding. Our results provide insight into the mechanism of how ExoS/ChvI regulates its downstream targets and lay a foundation for studying this conserved pathway with critical roles in free-living and symbiotic bacteria.

Identification of a hydroxyproline transport system in the legume endosymbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti

Hydroxyproline-rich proteins in plants offer a source of carbon and nitrogen to soil-dwelling microorganisms in the form of root exudates and decaying organic matter. This report describes an ABC-type transport system dedicated to the uptake of hydroxyproline in the legume endosymbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti. We have designated genes involved in hydroxyproline metabolism as hyp genes and show that an S. meliloti strain lacking putative transport genes (DeltahypMNPQ) is unable to grow with or transport trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline when this compound is available as a sole source of carbon. Expression of hypM is upregulated in the presence of trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline and cis-4-hydroxy-d-proline, as modulated by a repressor (HypR) of the GntR/FadR subfamily. Although alfalfa root nodules contain hydroxyproline-rich proteins, we demonstrate that the transport system is not highly expressed in nodules, suggesting that bacteroids are not exposed to high levels of free hydroxyproline in planta. In addition to hypMNPQ, we report that S. meliloti encodes a second independent mechanism that enables transport of trans-4-hydroxy-l-proline. This secondary transport mechanism is induced in proline-grown cells and likely entails a system involved in l-proline uptake. This study represents the first genetic description of a prokaryotic hydroxyproline transport system, and the ability to metabolize hydroxyproline may contribute significantly toward the ecological success of plant-associated bacteria such as the rhizobia.

Identification of promoters for efficient gene expression in Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense

To develop an expression system for the magnetotactic bacterium Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense, we compared gene expression from the widely used Escherichia coli P(lac) promoter with that from known and predicted genuine M. gryphiswaldense promoters. With the use of green fluorescent protein as a reporter, the highest expression level was observed with the magnetosomal P(mamDC) promoter. We demonstrate that this promoter can be used for the expression of modified magnetosome proteins to generate "antibody-binding" magnetosomes.

Prediction of Sinorhizobium meliloti sRNA genes and experimental detection in strain 2011

BACKGROUND

Small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) have emerged as ubiquitous regulatory elements in bacteria and other life domains. However, few sRNAs have been identified outside several well-studied species of gamma-proteobacteria and thus relatively little is known about the role of RNA-mediated regulation in most other bacterial genera. Here we have conducted a computational prediction of putative sRNA genes in intergenic regions (IgRs) of the symbiotic alpha-proteobacterium S. meliloti 1021 and experimentally confirmed the expression of dozens of these candidate loci in the closely related strain S. meliloti 2011.

RESULTS

Our first sRNA candidate compilation was based mainly on the output of the sRNAPredictHT algorithm. A thorough manual sequence analysis of the curated list rendered an initial set of 18 IgRs of interest, from which 14 candidates were detected in strain 2011 by Northern blot and/or microarray analysis. Interestingly, the intracellular transcript levels varied in response to various stress conditions. We developed an alternative computational method to more sensitively predict sRNA-encoding genes and score these predicted genes based on several features to allow identification of the strongest candidates. With this novel strategy, we predicted 60 chromosomal independent transcriptional units that, according to our annotation, represent strong candidates for sRNA-encoding genes, including most of the sRNAs experimentally verified in this work and in two other contemporary studies. Additionally, we predicted numerous candidate sRNA genes encoded in megaplasmids pSymA and pSymB. A significant proportion of the chromosomal- and megaplasmid-borne putative sRNA genes were validated by microarray analysis in strain 2011.

CONCLUSION

Our data extend the number of experimentally detected S. meliloti sRNAs and significantly expand the list of putative sRNA-encoding IgRs in this and closely related alpha-proteobacteria. In addition, we have developed a computational method that proved useful to predict sRNA-encoding genes in S. meliloti. We anticipate that this predictive approach can be flexibly implemented in many other bacterial species.