RESUMO

In Escherichia coli, the ATP-Binding Cassette transporter for phosphate is encoded by the pstSCAB operon. PstS is the periplasmic component responsible for affinity and specificity of the system and has also been related to a regulatory role and chemotaxis during depletion of phosphate. Xanthomonas citri has two phosphate-binding proteins: PstS and PhoX, which are differentially expressed under phosphate limitation. In this work, we focused on PhoX characterization and comparison with PstS. The PhoX three-dimensional structure was solved in a closed conformation with a phosphate engulfed in the binding site pocket between two domains. Comparison between PhoX and PstS revealed that they originated from gene duplication, but despite their similarities they show significant differences in the region that interacts with the permeases.

Assuntos

Proteínas de Bactérias/química , Regulação Bacteriana da Expressão Gênica , Proteínas de Ligação a Fosfato/química , Regulon/genética , Xanthomonas/genética , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Proteínas de Bactérias/genética , Proteínas de Bactérias/metabolismo , Cristalografia por Raios X , Proteínas de Ligação a Fosfato/genética , Proteínas de Ligação a Fosfato/metabolismo , Fosfatos/metabolismo , Conformação Proteica , Alinhamento de Sequência , Xanthomonas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Xanthomonas/metabolismo

RESUMO

Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (X. citri) is an important bacterium that causes citrus canker disease in plants in Brazil and around the world, leading to significant economic losses. Determination of the physiology and mechanisms of pathogenesis of this bacterium is an important step in the development of strategies for its containment. Phosphate is an essential ion in all microrganisms owing its importance during the synthesis of macromolecules and in gene and protein regulation. Interestingly, X. citri has been identified to present two periplasmic binding proteins that have not been further characterized: PstS, from an ATP-binding cassette for high-affinity uptake and transport of phosphate, and PhoX, which is encoded by an operon that also contains a putative porin for the transport of phosphate. Here, the expression, purification and crystallization of the phosphate-binding protein PhoX and X-ray data collection at 3.0 Šresolution are described. Biochemical, biophysical and structural data for this protein will be helpful in the elucidation of its function in phosphate uptake and the physiology of the bacterium.

Assuntos

Proteínas de Bactérias/química , Fosfatos/química , Xanthomonas/química , Sequência de Bases , Cristalização , Cristalografia por Raios X , Primers do DNA , Eletroforese em Gel de Poliacrilamida

RESUMO

Xanthomonas is a genus of phytopathogenic bacteria, which produces a slimy, polysaccharide matrix known as xanthan gum, which involves, protects and helps the bacteria during host colonization. Although broadly used as a stabilizer and thickener in the cosmetic and food industries, xanthan gum can be a troubling artifact in molecular investigations due to its rheological properties. In particular, a cross-reaction between reference compounds and the xanthan gum could compromise metabolic quantification by NMR spectroscopy. Aiming at an efficient gum extraction protocol, for a 1H-NMR-based metabolic profiling study of Xanthomonas, we tested four different interventions on the broadly used methanol-chloroform extraction protocol for the intracellular metabolic contents observation. Lower limits for bacterial pellet volumes for extraction were also probed, and a strategy is illustrated with an initial analysis of X. citri's metabolism by 1H-NMR spectroscopy.