Cyclic di-GMP inactivates T6SS and T4SS activity in Agrobacterium tumefaciens
File(s)McCarthy_et_al-2019-Molecular_Microbiology.pdf (1 MB)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The Type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a bacterial nanomachine that delivers effector proteins into prokaryotic and eukaryotic preys. This secretion system has emerged as a key player in regulating the microbial diversity in a population. In the plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens, the signalling cascades regulating the activity of this secretion system are poorly understood. Here, we outline how the universal eubacterial second messenger cyclic di-GMP impacts the production of T6SS toxins and T6SS structural components. We demonstrate that this has a significant impact on the ability of the phytopathogen to compete with other bacterial species in vitro and in planta. Our results suggest that, as opposed to other bacteria, c-di-GMP turns down the T6SS in A. tumefaciens thus impacting its ability to compete with other bacterial species within the rhizosphere. We also demonstrate that elevated levels of c-di-GMP within the cell decrease the activity of the Type IV secretion system (T4SS) and subsequently the capacity of A. tumefaciens to transform plant cells. We propose that such peculiar control reflects on c-di-GMP being a key second messenger that silences energy-costing systems during early colonization phase and biofilm formation, while low c-di-GMP levels unleash T6SS and T4SS to advance plant colonization.
Date Issued
2019-08
Date Acceptance
2019-05-15
Citation
Molecular Microbiology, 2019, 112 (2), pp.632-648
ISSN
0950-382X
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
632
End Page
648
Journal / Book Title
Molecular Microbiology
Volume
112
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2019 The Authors. Molecular Microbiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Sponsor
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Commission of the European Communities
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31102484
Grant Number
BB/M02735X/1
654135
BB/N02539/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Microbiology
VI-SECRETION-SYSTEM
PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA
BIOFILM FORMATION
INTERBACTERIAL COMPETITION
SURFACE ATTACHMENT
DIGUANYLIC ACID
FAMILY PROTEIN
NITRIC-OXIDE
PLANT
EFFECTORS
Microbiology
06 Biological Sciences
11 Medical and Health Sciences
07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Date Publish Online
2019-05-18