Identification of the flagellar chaperone FlgN in the phytopathogen Xanthomonas axonopodis pathovar citri by its interaction with hook-associated FlgK

Arch Microbiol. 2007 Sep;188(3):243-50. doi: 10.1007/s00203-007-0240-y. Epub 2007 May 10.

Abstract

Genome annotation of the plant pathogen Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac), identified flagellar genes in a 15.7 kb gene cluster. However, FlgN, a secretion chaperone for hook-associated proteins FlgK and FlgL, was not identified. We performed extensive screening of the X. axonopodis pv. citri genome with the yeast two-hybrid system to identify a protein with the characteristics of the flagellar chaperone FlgN. We found a candidate (XAC1990) encoded by an operon for components of the flagellum apparatus that interacted with FlgK. In order to further support this finding, Xac FlgK and XAC1990 were cloned, expressed, and purified. The recombinant proteins were characterized by spectroscopic methods and their interaction in vitro confirmed by pull-down assays. We, therefore, conclude that XAC1990 and its homologs in other Xanthomonas species are, in fact, FlgN proteins. These observations extend the sequence diversity covered by this family of proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Bacterial Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Flagella / physiology*
  • Molecular Chaperones / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Two-Hybrid System Techniques
  • Xanthomonas axonopodis / genetics
  • Xanthomonas axonopodis / metabolism
  • Xanthomonas axonopodis / physiology*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • FlgK protein, Bacteria
  • FlgN protein, Bacteria
  • Molecular Chaperones