Functional Analysis of the Ferric Uptake Regulator Gene fur in Xanthomonas vesicatoria

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 11; no. 2; p. e0149280
• Main Authors: Liu, Huiqin, Dong, Chunling, Zhao, Tingchang, Han, Jucai, Wang, Tieling, Wen, Xiangzhen, Huang, Qi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 24.02.2016; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Agriculture; Alleles; Antibiotics; Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Biofilms; Biology and Life Sciences; Cell survival; Cloning; Copper; E coli; Escherichia coli; Functional analysis; Genes; Genetic aspects; Gram-negative bacteria; Homeostasis; Horticulture; Iron; Iron - metabolism; Lycopersicon esculentum - microbiology; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mutagenesis; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; Mutation; Oryza; Oxidative stress; Pathogenesis; Physiological aspects; Plant diseases; Plant Diseases - microbiology; Plant Leaves - microbiology; Plasmids; Proteins; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Repressor Proteins - genetics; Repressor Proteins - metabolism; Research and Analysis Methods; Site-directed mutagenesis; Survival; Swimming; Tomatoes; Toxicity; Transport proteins; Virulence; Xanthomonas campestris; Xanthomonas oryzae; Xanthomonas vesicatoria; Xanthomonas vesicatoria - genetics; Xanthomonas vesicatoria - metabolism; Xanthomonas vesicatoria - pathogenicity; United States; China
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149280

Iron is essential for the growth and survival of many organisms. Intracellular iron homeostasis must be maintained for cell survival and protection against iron toxicity. The ferric uptake regulator protein (Fur) regulates the high-affinity ferric uptake system in many bacteria. To investigate the function of the fur gene in Xanthomonas vesicatoria (Xv), we generated a fur mutant strain, fur-m, by site-directed mutagenesis. Whereas siderophore production increased in the Xv fur mutant, extracellular polysaccharide production, biofilm formation, swimming ability and quorum sensing signals were all significantly decreased. The fur mutant also had significantly reduced virulence in tomato leaves. The above-mentioned phenotypes significantly recovered when the Xv fur mutation allele was complemented with a wild-type fur gene. Thus, Fur either negatively or positively regulates multiple important physiological functions in Xv.