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Specific gamma‐aminobutyrate chemotaxis in pseudomonads with different lifestyle
Author(s) -
ReyesDarias Jose Antonio,
García Vanina,
RicoJiménez Miriam,
CorralLugo Andrés,
Lesouhaitier Olivier,
JuárezHernández Dalia,
Yang Yiling,
Bi Shuangyu,
Feuilloley Marc,
MuñozRojas Jesús,
Sourjik Victor,
Krell Tino
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.13045
Subject(s) - biology , chemotaxis , virulence , chemoreceptor , receptor , pas domain , microbiology and biotechnology , gamma aminobutyric acid , context (archaeology) , biochemistry , gene , transcription factor , paleontology
Summary The PctC chemoreceptor of P seudomonas aeruginosa mediates chemotaxis with high specificity to gamma‐aminobutyric acid ( GABA ). This compound is present everywhere in nature and has multiple functions, including being a human neurotransmitter or plant signaling compound. Because P . aeruginosa is ubiquitously distributed in nature and able to infect and colonize different hosts, the physiological relevance of GABA taxis is unclear, but it has been suggested that bacterial attraction to neurotransmitters may enhance virulence. We report the identification of McpG as a specific GABA chemoreceptor in non‐pathogenic P seudomonas putida KT 2440. As with PctC , GABA was found to bind McpG tightly. The analysis of chimeras comprising the PctC and McpG ligand‐binding domains fused to the T ar signaling domain showed very high GABA sensitivities. We also show that PctC inactivation does not alter virulence in C aenorhabditis elegans . Significant amounts of GABA were detected in tomato root exudates, and deletion of mcpG reduced root colonization that requires chemotaxis through agar. The C . elegans data and the detection of a GABA receptor in non‐pathogenic species indicate that GABA taxis may not be related to virulence in animal systems but may be of importance in the context of colonization and infection of plant roots by soil‐dwelling pseudomonads.