Aeromonas surface glucan attached through the O-antigen ligase represents a new way to obtain UDP-glucose

PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e35707. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035707. Epub 2012 May 1.

Abstract

We previously reported that A. hydrophila GalU mutants were still able to produce UDP-glucose introduced as a glucose residue in their lipopolysaccharide core. In this study, we found the unique origin of this UDP-glucose from a branched α-glucan surface polysaccharide. This glucan, surface attached through the O-antigen ligase (WaaL), is common to the mesophilic Aeromonas strains tested. The Aeromonas glucan is produced by the action of the glycogen synthase (GlgA) and the UDP-Glc pyrophosphorylase (GlgC), the latter wrongly indicated as an ADP-Glc pyrophosphorylase in the Aeromonas genomes available. The Aeromonas glycogen synthase is able to react with UDP or ADP-glucose, which is not the case of E. coli glycogen synthase only reacting with ADP-glucose. The Aeromonas surface glucan has a role enhancing biofilm formation. Finally, for the first time to our knowledge, a clear preference on behalf of bacterial survival and pathogenesis is observed when choosing to produce one or other surface saccharide molecules to produce (lipopolysaccharide core or glucan).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aeromonas / genetics
  • Aeromonas / metabolism*
  • Aeromonas / physiology
  • Bacterial Adhesion
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Biofilms / growth & development
  • Carbohydrate Sequence
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Genetic Complementation Test
  • Glucans / chemistry
  • Glucans / metabolism*
  • Glycogen Synthase / genetics
  • Glycogen Synthase / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Ligases / genetics
  • Ligases / metabolism*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / metabolism
  • Microbial Viability
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • O Antigens / metabolism
  • UTP-Glucose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase / genetics
  • UTP-Glucose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase / metabolism
  • Uridine Diphosphate Glucose / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Glucans
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • O Antigens
  • Glycogen Synthase
  • UTP-Glucose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase
  • Ligases
  • Uridine Diphosphate Glucose