An acidic microenvironment produced by the V-type ATPase of Euprymna scolopes promotes specificity during Vibrio fischeri recruitment.

ABSTRACT: Animals often acquire their microbial symbionts from the environment, but the mechanisms underlying how specificity of the association is achieved are poorly understood. We demonstrate that the conserved proton pump, V-type ATPase (VHA), plays a key role in the establishment of the model light-organ symbiosis between the squid Euprymna scolopes and its bacterial partner, Vibrio fischeri. Recruitment of V. fischeri from the surrounding seawater is mediated by juvenile-specific ciliated fields on the organ's surface. These epithelia produce acidic mucus containing antimicrobials with low-pH optima, creating a chemical environment fostering specific recruitment of V. fischeri. We provide evidence that this critical acidic landscape is created by activity of VHA. VHA inhibition abolished epith

SUBMITTER: Hargadon AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11655667 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature