Open AccessSequence analysis and confirmation of the type IV pili-associated proteins PilY1, PilW and PilV in Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans
Author(s) -
Elvia Alfaro-Saldaña,
Araceli Hernández-Sánchez,
Olga Araceli Patrón-Soberano,
Marizel Astello-García,
José Alfredo Mendez,
J. Viridiana GarcíaMeza
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0199854
Subject(s) - acidithiobacillus thiooxidans , acidithiobacillus , pilus , bacterial adhesin , biology , biochemistry , biofilm , fimbria , bacteria , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , genetics , bioleaching , escherichia coli , acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans , organic chemistry , copper
Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans is an acidophilic chemolithoautotrophic bacterium widely used in the mining industry due to its metabolic sulfur-oxidizing capability. The biooxidation of sulfide minerals is enhanced through the attachment of At . thiooxidans cells to the mineral surface. The Type IV pili (TfP) of At . thiooxidans may play an important role in the bacteria attachment since TfP play a key adhesive role in the attachment and colonization of different surfaces. In this work, we report for the first time the mRNA sequence of three TfP proteins from At . thiooxidans , the adhesin protein PilY1 and the TfP pilins PilW and PilV. The nucleotide sequences of these TfP proteins show changes in some nucleotide positions with respect to the corresponding annotated sequences. The bioinformatic analyses and 3D-modeling of protein structures sustain their classification as TfP proteins, as structural homologs of the corresponding proteins of Ps . aeruginosa , results that sustain the role of PilY1, PilW and PilV in pili assembly. Also, that PilY1 comprises the conserved Neisseria -PilC (superfamily) domain of the tip-associated adhesin, while PilW of the superfamily of putative TfP assembly proteins and PilV belongs to the superfamily of TfP assembly protein. In addition, the analyses suggested the presence of specific functional domains involved in adhesion, energy transduction and signaling functions. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the PilY1 of Acidithiobacillus genus forms a cohesive group linked with iron- and/or sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms from acid mine drainage or mine tailings.