Novel indole-mediated potassium ion import system confers a survival advantage to the Xanthomonadaceae family

• Published in: The ISME Journal Vol. 16; no. 7; pp. 1717 - 1729
• Main Authors: Zhu, Yuxiang, Han, Yong, Liu, Guanglei, Bian, Zeran, Yan, Xiayi, Li, Yaoyao, Long, Hongan, Yu, Guanshuo, Wang, Yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.07.2022; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: 14/3; 38/90; 42/44; 45/29; 631/326/171; 631/326/41; 82/29; 82/80; 82/83; Anti-Bacterial Agents - metabolism; Antigens; Antiinfectives and antibacterials; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biosynthesis; Cell surface; Communications systems; E coli; Ecology; Escherichia coli - genetics; Escherichia coli - metabolism; Evolutionary Biology; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Imports; Indoles; Indoles - metabolism; Ion adsorption; Life Sciences; Microbial activity; Microbial Ecology; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Polysaccharides; Potassium; Potassium - metabolism; Saccharides; Signal transduction; Signaling; Xanthomonadaceae; Xanthomonadaceae - metabolism
• ISSN: 1751-7362; 1751-7370; 1751-7370
• DOI: 10.1038/s41396-022-01219-6

Interspecific and intraspecific communication systems of microorganisms are involved in the regulation of various stress responses in microbial communities. Although the significance of signaling molecules in the ubiquitous family Xanthomonadaceae has been reported, the role bacterial communications play and their internal mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we use Lysobacter enzymogenes , a member of Xanthomonadaceae , to identify a novel potassium ion import system, Le KdpXFABC. This import system participates in the indole-mediated interspecies signaling pathway and matters in environmental adaptation. Compared with the previously reported kdpFABC of Escherichia coli , LekdpXFABC contains a novel indispensable gene LekdpX and is directly regulated by the indole-related two-component system QseC/B. QseC autophosphorylation is involved in this process. The operon LekdpXFABC widely exists in Xanthomonadaceae . Moreover, indole promotes antimicrobial product production at the early exponential phase. Further analyses show that indole enhances potassium ion adsorption on the cell surface by upregulating the production of O-antigenic polysaccharides. Finally, we confirm that Le KdpXFABC mediation by indole is subject to the intraspecific signaling molecules DSFs, of which the biosynthesis genes always exist together with LekdpXFABC . Therefore, as a new idea, the signal collaborative strategy of indole and DSFs might ensure the persistent fitness advantage of Xanthomonadaceae in variable environments.