Mutations of ferric uptake regulator (fur) impair iron homeostasis, growth, oxidative stress survival, and virulence of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

Arch Microbiol. 2010 May;192(5):331-9. doi: 10.1007/s00203-010-0558-8. Epub 2010 Mar 17.

Abstract

Iron is essential in numerous cellular functions. Intracellular iron homeostasis must be maintained for cell survival and protection against iron's toxic effects. Here, we characterize the roles of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) fur, which encodes an iron sensor and a transcriptional regulator that acts in iron homeostasis, oxidative stress, and virulence. Herein, we isolated spontaneous Xcc fur mutants that had high intracellular iron concentrations due to constitutively high siderophore levels and increased expression of iron transport genes. These mutants also had reduced aerobic plating efficiency and resistance to peroxide killing. Moreover, one fur mutant was attenuated on a host plant, thus indicating that fur has important roles in the virulence of X. campestris pv. campestris.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / physiology*
  • Brassica rapa / microbiology
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Homeostasis
  • Iron / metabolism*
  • Microbial Viability
  • Mutation
  • Oxidative Stress*
  • Peroxides / toxicity
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics
  • Repressor Proteins / physiology*
  • Virulence
  • Xanthomonas campestris / genetics
  • Xanthomonas campestris / metabolism
  • Xanthomonas campestris / pathogenicity
  • Xanthomonas campestris / physiology*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Peroxides
  • Repressor Proteins
  • ferric uptake regulating proteins, bacterial
  • Iron