Transcriptional organization, regulation and functional analysis of flhF and fleN in Pseudomonas putida

PLoS One. 2019 Mar 19;14(3):e0214166. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214166. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

The Pseudomonas putida flhA-flhF-fleN-fliA cluster encodes a component of the flagellar export gate and three regulatory elements potentially involved in flagellar biogenesis and other functions. Here we show that these four genes form an operon, whose transcription is driven from the upstream PflhA promoter. A second promoter, PflhF, provides additional transcription of the three distal genes. PflhA and PflhF are σN-dependent, activated by the flagellar regulator FleQ, and negatively regulated by FleN. Motility, surface adhesion and colonization defects of a transposon insertion mutant in flhF revealed transcriptional polarity on fleN and fliA, as the former was required for strong surface adhesion and biofilm formation, and the latter was required for flagellar synthesis. On the other hand, FlhF and FleN were necessary to attain proper flagellar location and number for a fully functional flagellar complement. FleN, along with FleQ and the second messenger c-di-GMP differentially regulated transcription of lapA and the bcs operon, encoding a large adhesion protein and cellulose synthase. FleQ positively regulated the PlapA promoter and activation was antagonized by FleN and c-di-GMP. PbcsD was negatively regulated by FleQ and FleN, and repression was antagonized by c-di-GMP. FleN promoted FleQ binding to both PlapA and PbcsD in vitro, while c-di-GMP antagonized interaction with PbcsD and stimulated interaction with PlapA. A single FleQ binding site in PlapA was critical to activation in vivo. Our results suggest that FleQ, FleN and c-di-GMP cooperate to coordinate the regulation of flagellar motility and biofilm development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins* / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins* / metabolism
  • Biofilms / growth & development
  • Flagella / genetics
  • Flagella / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
  • Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins* / genetics
  • Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins* / metabolism
  • Pseudomonas putida / physiology*
  • Response Elements*
  • Trans-Activators* / genetics
  • Trans-Activators* / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • flhF protein, Bacteria
  • Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain (http://www.idi.mineco. gob.es/) and European Regional Development fund (http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/funding/erdf/), Grant BIO2010-17853, awarded to FG; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain (http://www.idi.mineco.gob.es/) and European Regional Development fund (http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/funding/erdf/), Grant BIO2013-420173-P, awarded to FG; and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spain (http://www.csic.es/), JAE-Predoc 2010 scholarship, awarded to AJ-F. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.