H-NOX Regulates Biofilm Formation in Agrobacterium Vitis in Response to NO

Biochemistry. 2023 Feb 21;62(4):912-922. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00639. Epub 2023 Feb 6.

Abstract

Transitions between motile and biofilm lifestyles are highly regulated and fundamental to microbial pathogenesis. H-NOX (heme-nitric oxide/oxygen-binding domain) is a key regulator of bacterial communal behaviors, such as biofilm formation. A predicted bifunctional cyclic di-GMP metabolizing enzyme, composed of diguanylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase (PDE) domains (avi_3097), is annotated downstream of an hnoX gene in Agrobacterium vitis S4. Here, we demonstrate that avH-NOX is a nitric oxide (NO)-binding hemoprotein that binds to and regulates the activity of avi_3097 (avHaCE; H-NOX-associated cyclic di-GMP processing enzyme). Kinetic analysis of avHaCE indicates a ∼four-fold increase in PDE activity in the presence of NO-bound avH-NOX. Biofilm analysis with crystal violet staining reveals that low concentrations of NO reduce biofilm growth in the wild-type A. vitis S4 strain, but the mutant ΔhnoX strain has no NO phenotype, suggesting that H-NOX is responsible for the NO biofilm phenotype in A. vitis. Together, these data indicate that avH-NOX enhances cyclic di-GMP degradation to reduce biofilm formation in response to NO in A. vitis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins* / chemistry
  • Biofilms
  • Cyclic GMP / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli Proteins* / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Kinetics
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism
  • Phosphorus-Oxygen Lyases / genetics
  • Phosphorus-Oxygen Lyases / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Phosphorus-Oxygen Lyases
  • Cyclic GMP

Supplementary concepts

  • Agrobacterium vitis