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Signaling between two interacting sensor kinases promotes biofilms and colonization by a bacterial symbiont
Author(s) -
Norsworthy Allison N.,
Visick Karen L.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/mmi.12932
Subject(s) - biology , effector , biofilm , microbiology and biotechnology , regulator , kinase , function (biology) , signal transduction , response regulator , colonization , bacteria , genetics , bacterial protein , gene
Summary Cells acclimate to fluctuating environments by utilizing sensory circuits. One common sensory pathway used by bacteria is two‐component signaling ( TCS ), composed of an environmental sensor [the sensor kinase ( SK )] and a cognate, intracellular effector [the response regulator ( RR )]. The squid symbiont V ibrio fischeri uses an elaborate TCS phosphorelay containing a hybrid SK , RscS , and two RR s, SypE and SypG , to control biofilm formation and host colonization. Here, we found that another hybrid SK , SypF , was essential for biofilms by functioning downstream of RscS to directly control SypE and SypG . Surprisingly, although wild‐type SypF functioned as an SK in vitro , this activity was dispensable for colonization. In fact, only a single non‐enzymatic domain within SypF , the HPt domain, was critical in vivo . Remarkably, this domain within SypF interacted with RscS to permit a bypass of RscS ‘s own HPt domain and SypF ‘s enzymatic function. This represents the first in vivo example of a functional SK that exploits the enzymatic activity of another SK , an adaptation that demonstrates the elegant plasticity in the arrangement of TCS regulators.