Periplasm-enriched fractions from Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri type A and X. fuscans subsp. aurantifolii type B present distinct proteomic profiles under in vitro pathogenicity induction

PLoS One. 2020 Dec 18;15(12):e0243867. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243867. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

The causative agent of Asiatic citrus canker, the Gram-negative bacterium Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (XAC), produces more severe symptoms and attacks a larger number of citric hosts than Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii XauB and XauC, the causative agents of cancrosis, a milder form of the disease. Here we report a comparative proteomic analysis of periplasmic-enriched fractions of XAC and XauB in XAM-M, a pathogenicity- inducing culture medium, for identification of differential proteins. Proteins were resolved by two-dimensional electrophoresis combined with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Among the 12 proteins identified from the 4 unique spots from XAC in XAM-M (p<0.05) were phosphoglucomutase (PGM), enolase, xylose isomerase (XI), transglycosylase, NAD(P)H-dependent glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, succinyl-CoA synthetase β subunit, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, and conserved hypothetical proteins XAC0901 and XAC0223; most of them were not detected as differential for XAC when both bacteria were grown in NB medium, a pathogenicity non-inducing medium. XauB showed a very different profile from XAC in XAM-M, presenting 29 unique spots containing proteins related to a great diversity of metabolic pathways. Preponderant expression of PGM and XI in XAC was validated by Western Blot analysis in the periplasmic-enriched fractions of both bacteria. This work shows remarkable differences between the periplasmic-enriched proteomes of XAC and XauB, bacteria that cause symptoms with distinct degrees of severity during citrus infection. The results suggest that some proteins identified in XAC can have an important role in XAC pathogenicity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Carbon / metabolism
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Molecular Sequence Annotation
  • Periplasm / metabolism*
  • Phosphoglucomutase / metabolism
  • Proteomics*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Xanthomonas / enzymology
  • Xanthomonas / genetics
  • Xanthomonas / growth & development
  • Xanthomonas / pathogenicity*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Carbon
  • Phosphoglucomutase

Grants and funding

- JA, FSZ and CMC received fellowships from CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico), Fundecitrus (Fundo de Defesa da Citricultura, Araraquara-SP), and FAPESP (for FSZ, 2010/04546-0). AVA and ELP received CAPES (1770850) and FAPESP (2017/17470-0) fellowships, respectively. SPF and LSG received PosDoc fellowships from FAPESP (2013/16082-6) and CAPES (PNPD, 23038.006942/2011-31), respectively. - Finantial support: FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Brazil/ Young Investigators, 07/50910-2) and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brazil (CAPES/ Finance Code 001). -websites of each funder: FAPESP (http://www.fapesp.br/) and CAPES (https://www.capes.gov.br/) - funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.