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Effect of cis-2-dodecenoic acid on F. novicida gene expression

ABSTRACT: In many bacteria, the ability to modulate biofilm production relies on specific signaling molecules that are either self-produced or made by neighboring microbes within the ecological niche. We analyzed the potential interspecies signaling effect of the Burkholderia diffusible signal factor (BDSF) on Francisella novicida, a model organism for Francisella tularensis, and demon- strated that BDSF both inhibits the formation and causes the dispersion of Francisella biofilm. Specificity was demonstrated for the cis versus the trans form of BDSF. Using transcriptome sequencing, quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, and activity as- says, we found that BDSF altered the expression of many F. novicida genes, including genes involved in biofilm formation, such as chitinases. Using a chitinase inhibitor, the antibiofilm activity of BDSF was also shown to be chitinase dependent. In addition, BDSF caused an increase in RelA expression and increased levels of (p)ppGpp, leading to decreased biofilm production. These results support our observation that exposure of F. novicida to BDSF causes biofilm dispersal. Furthermore, BDSF upregulated the genes involved in iron acquisition (figABCD), increasing siderophore production. Thus, this study provides the first evidence for a potential role and mechanism of diffusible signal factor (DSF) signaling in the genus Francisella and suggests the possibility of interspecies signaling between Francisella and other bacteria. Overall, this study suggests that in response to the interspecies DSF signal, F. novicida can alter its gene expression and regulate its biofilm formation.

ORGANISM(S): Francisella tularensis subsp. novicida U112

PROVIDER: GSE72142 | GEO | 2015/08/19

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA293200

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Francisella tularensis is a Gram-negative bacterium that is highly virulent in humans, causing the disease tularemia. F. novicida is closely related to F. tularensis and exhibits high virulence in mice, but is avirulent in healthy humans. A F. novicida-specific gene cluster (FTN0451-FTN0456) encodes two proteins with diguanylate cyclase (DGC) and phosphodiesterase (PDE) domains that modulate synthesis and degradation of cyclic di-GMP (cdGMP). No DGC or PDE containing proteins are present in the F. tularensis genome. F. novicida strains lacking either the two DGC/PDE genes cdgA and cdgB or the entire gene cluster (KKF457) are defective for biofilm formation. In addition, expression of CdgB or a heterologous DGC in KKF457 stimulated F. novicida biofilms, even in a strain lacking the biofilm regulator QseB. Genetic evidence suggests that CdgA is predominantly a PDE, while CdgB is predominantly a DGC. The F. novicida qseB strain has reduced cdgA and cdgB transcript levels, demonstrating a F. novicida biofilm signaling cascade that controls cdGMP levels. Interestingly, KKF457 with elevated cdGMP levels exhibited a decrease in intramacrophage replication and virulence in mice, as well as increased growth yield and biofilm formation in vitro. Microarray analyses revealed that cdGMP stimulated the transcription of a chitinase (ChiB) known to contribute to biofilm formation. Our results indicate that elevated cdGMP in F. novicida stimulates biofilm formation and inhibits virulence. We suggest that differences in human virulence between F. novicida and F. tularensis may be due in part to the absence of cdGMP signaling in F. tularensis. A whole genome NibleGen microarray was developed for multiple Francisella subspecies, using shared probes for common genes as well as unique probes for subspecies-specific genes. Included were probes representing the F. novicida U112 genome, with a maximum of 6 probes/gene. RNA was isolated from bacteria and purified as described above. The double-strand cDNA was generated and labeled with Cy3 according to the NimbleGen Gene Expression Array protocol (www.nimblegen.com), using SuperScript Double-Stranded cDNA Synthesis Kit (Invitrogen) and the DNA Labeling Kit (NimbleGen). Microarray results were analyzed using the ArrayStar software (DNASTAR).

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Effect of cis-2-dodecenoic acid on F. novicida gene expression

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