Transcriptome profiling reveals the EanI/R quorum sensing regulon in Pantoea ananatis LMG 2665T
Siphathele Sibanda: University of Pretoria
<div>The plant pathogen, <em>Pantoea ananatis</em> LMG 2665<sup>T</sup> synthesizes and utilizes acyl homoserine<sup> </sup>lactones for signaling. The complete set of genes regulated by the EanI/R system in <em>P. ananatis</em><sup> </sup>LMG 2665<sup>T</sup> is still not fully known. In this study, RNA-Seq was used to identify the EanI/R quorum sensing (QS) regulon in this bacterium. Two approaches were used in this regard. Firstly, pairwise comparisons of the wild type strain in the absence of AHLs (OD<sub>600 </sub>= 0.2) and in the presence of AHLs (OD<sub>600</sub> = 0.5) were made. Additionally, pairwise comparisons of LMG 2665<sup>T</sup> and its QS mutant at OD<sub>600</sub> = 0.5 were made. In total, 608 genes were differentially expressed between <em>P. ananatis</em><sup> </sup>LMG 2665<sup>T</sup> in the presence of AHLs vs the same strain in the absence of AHLs, and 701 genes were differentially expressed between the wild type strain vs the QS mutant at OD<sub>600</sub> =0.5. A total of 196 genes were commonly differentially expressed between the two approaches. The RNA-Seq data was validated by RT-qPCR. Genes regulated by the EanI/R QS are involved in redox sensing, metabolism, flagella formation and flagella dependent motility, cell adhesion and biofilm formation, regulators, transport, chemotaxis and methyl accepting proteins, membrane proteins, cell wall synthesis, stress response and a large number of hypothetical proteins under the tested conditions. Functional characterization of the QS regulated genes in LMG 2665<sup>T</sup> could help in the formulation of control strategies for this plant pathogen.</div>
|
