Ferric-pyoverdine recognition by Fpv outer membrane proteins of Pseudomonas protegens Pf-5

J Bacteriol. 2013 Feb;195(4):765-76. doi: 10.1128/JB.01639-12. Epub 2012 Dec 7.

Abstract

The soil bacterium Pseudomonas protegens Pf-5 (previously called P. fluorescens Pf-5) produces two siderophores, enantio-pyochelin and a compound in the large and diverse pyoverdine family. Using high-resolution mass spectroscopy, we determined the structure of the pyoverdine produced by Pf-5. In addition to producing its own siderophores, Pf-5 also utilizes ferric complexes of some pyoverdines produced by other strains of Pseudomonas spp. as sources of iron. Previously, phylogenetic analysis of the 45 TonB-dependent outer membrane proteins in Pf-5 indicated that six are in a well-supported clade with ferric-pyoverdine receptors (Fpvs) from other Pseudomonas spp. We used a combination of phylogenetics, bioinformatics, mutagenesis, pyoverdine structural determinations, and cross-feeding bioassays to assign specific ferric-pyoverdine substrates to each of the six Fpvs of Pf-5. We identified at least one ferric-pyoverdine that was taken up by each of the six Fpvs of Pf-5. Functional redundancy of the Pf-5 Fpvs was also apparent, with some ferric-pyoverdines taken up by all mutants with a single Fpv deletion but not by a mutant having deletions in two of the Fpv-encoding genes. Finally, we demonstrated that phylogenetically related Fpvs take up ferric complexes of structurally related pyoverdines, thereby establishing structure-function relationships that can be employed in the future to predict the pyoverdine substrates of Fpvs in other Pseudomonas spp.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Biological Assay
  • Computational Biology
  • Gene Deletion
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / physiology*
  • Iron
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutagenesis
  • Oligopeptides / metabolism*
  • Phylogeny
  • Protein Conformation
  • Pseudomonas / classification
  • Pseudomonas / genetics
  • Pseudomonas / metabolism*
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Substrate Specificity

Substances

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • Oligopeptides
  • pyoverdin
  • Iron