XXXV Reunião Anual da SBBqResumoID:8490


Differential expression of bacteriocin-related genes of Xylella fastidiosa grown in high glucose concentration medium


Andréa C. Fogaça1; Evelyn Pucci Schevciw1; Sirlei Daffre2; Aline M. da Silva1



1Dep. Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo-SP; 2Dep. Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo-SP


Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides produced by both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Nonetheless, differently of the majority of antimicrobial peptides, bacteriocins exhibit a narrow range spectrum of activity, inhibiting the growth of closely related species. The elucidation of the complete genome of the 9a5c strain of Xylella fastidiosa, the causative agent of the Citrus Variegated Chlorosis (CVC), revealed the presence of several virulence factors, including bacteriocins. Bacteriocins of X. fastidiosa share structural similarities to colicin V (Col-V), which is produced and secreted by Enterobacteriaceae to reduce the competition to nutrients. In Escherichia coli, Col-V is encoded by cvaC genes as a precursor molecule of 103 amino acid residues, which is processed to the mature form (containing 88 amino acid residues) during its secretion. A transmembrane protein, CvaI, is responsible for the protection of the producing strain from the deleterious effects of the toxin. X. fastidiosa genome encodes three putative Col-V like peptides, XF0262, XF0263 and XF0264, as well as other coding sequences (CDS) suggested to be involved in the export and immunity of the toxin. Our research group recently reported that high concentration of glucose up-regulates CDS XF0262 transcripts. In the current work, we present the effects of high concentration of glucose on the expression profile of the CDS involved in the production, export and immunity of the Col-V like of X. fastidiosa. Using quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) assays, we observed a significant up regulation of all the CDS encoding X. fastidiosa putative Col-V like peptides. The putative immunity protein CvaI (CDS XF0261) was also up regulated by the high concentration of glucose. A supernatant of X. fastidiosa was partially purified by reverse-phase HPLC and one resulting fraction showed anti-E. coli DH5a activity. The results reported here suggest that the production of Col-V like peptides by X. fastidiosa may be an important mechanism to control the growth of the endophytic microbial community that co-habit citrus xylem.

 

Supported by FAPESP and CNPq.