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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #362014
Research Project: Characterization of Molecular Networks in Diseases Caused by Emerging and Persistent Bacterial Plant Pathogens

Location: Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research

Title: Interplay of carbonic anhydrase activity and virulence in the plant pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato

Author
item FISHMAN, MAXWELL - Cornell University
item ZHANG, WEI - Cornell University
item Filiatrault, Melanie

Submitted to: International Congress on Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/29/2019
Publication Date: 5/17/2019
Citation: Fishman, M., Zhang, W., Filiatrault, M.J. 2019. Interplay of carbonic anhydrase activity and virulence in the plant pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. International Congress on Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. 90:1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Bacterial carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are a class of metalloenzymes that catalyze the physiological process of carbon dioxide hydration to bicarbonate and protons. Recently they have received attention because of described roles in survival, invasion and pathogenicity of microorganisms. Information regarding what role CAs play in bacterial plant pathogens is lacking. We previously identified a CA produced by the plant pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae that is regulated by a calcium responsive two-component system CvsSR. Deletion of CA impacted virulence. Here we performed functional and phenotypic assays and show CA activity affected calcium dissolution by P. syringae and production of the extracellular molecule cellulose. Cellulose is associated with various aspects of the lifecycles of bacteria and functions in competitive interactions with microbes. Deletion of the CA resulted in reduced competition of P. syringae with bacteria and influenced expression of genes involved in Type VI secretion, such as hcp-2 and the GacA-regulated small RNA rsmY. The gene encoding CA is conserved among Pseudomonas, however discrepancies were discovered with predictions of the size of the protein produced. A model depicting the regulatory circuit and roles of CA activity in P. syringae are presented. Studies are underway to evaluate global impacts on virulence gene expression and in vivo inhibition of the CA to investigate impacts on pathogenicity and growth P. syringae in planta.