Signaling specificity in the c-di-GMP-dependent network regulating antibiotic synthesis in Lysobacter

Nucleic Acids Res. 2018 Oct 12;46(18):9276-9288. doi: 10.1093/nar/gky803.

Abstract

Enzymes controlling intracellular second messengers in bacteria, such as c-di-GMP, often affect some but not other targets. How such specificity is achieved is understood only partially. Here, we present a novel mechanism that enables specific c-di-GMP-dependent inhibition of the antifungal antibiotic production. Expression of the biosynthesis operon for Heat-Stable Antifungal Factor, HSAF, in Lysobacter enzymogenes occurs when the transcription activator Clp binds to two upstream sites. At high c-di-GMP levels, Clp binding to the lower-affinity site is compromised, which is sufficient to decrease gene expression. We identified a weak c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase, LchP, that plays a disproportionately high role in HSAF synthesis due to its ability to bind Clp. Further, Clp binding stimulates phosphodiesterase activity of LchP. An observation of a signaling complex formed by a c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase and a c-di-GMP-binding transcription factor lends support to the emerging paradigm that such signaling complexes are common in bacteria, and that bacteria and eukaryotes employ similar solutions to the specificity problem in second messenger-based signaling systems.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / biosynthesis*
  • Antifungal Agents / metabolism
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Cyclic GMP / analogs & derivatives*
  • Cyclic GMP / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Lysobacter / genetics
  • Lysobacter / metabolism*
  • Models, Genetic
  • Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / genetics
  • Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Interaction Maps / genetics
  • Signal Transduction*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antifungal Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • bis(3',5')-cyclic diguanylic acid
  • Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases
  • Cyclic GMP