Gene expression analysis of the Xanthomonas citri subsp citri type VI secretion system

• Grant number: 14/25261-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): January 01, 2015
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Cristina Elisa Alvarez Martinez
• Grantee: Lucas de Moraes Ceseti
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Members of the Xanthomonas genus are plant-associated bacteria and include some important pathogens of crops, which cause severe economic impacts on agriculture. More specifically, Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xac) causes citrus canker, a disease that results in big economic losses in Brazil and other countries throughout the world. Thus, it is highly important to elucidate the mechanisms involved in citrus canker pathogenesis and infection, helping to avoid the economic losses that result from this phytopathology. Bacterial secretion systems (SS) translocate effector proteins to target cells and are involved in virulence and other functions, including increasing the bacterial fitness in interespecies interactions. Type VI secretion systems (T6SS) were recently identified in gram-negative bacteria and genes coding for a complete T6SS are found in the Xac genome. Considering the importance of SS for bacterial physiology, the elucidation of Xac T6SS function will improve our understanding of Xac biology and provide new insights into this new group of SS. This project aims at the analysis of expression and regulation of T6SS genes in Xac, providing important clues to understand the function of this SS. For that, we will analyze the activity of a promoter found upstream of T6SS genes in Xac during growth and under distinct conditions of interest. Also, we will study the expresssion of selected T6SS genes during Xac interaction with host plants, using RT-qPCR. The results obtained in this project will complement other functional studies of the Xac T6SS currently in progress in the laboratory.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BAYER-SANTOS, ETHEL; LIMA, LIDIA DOS PASSOS; CESETI, LUCAS DE MORAES; RATAGAMI, CAMILA YURI; DE SANTANA, ELIANE SILVA; DA SILVA, ALINE MARIA; FARAH, CHUCK SHAKER; ALVAREZ-MARTINEZ, CRISTINA ELISA. Xanthomonas citri T6SS mediates resistance to Dictyostelium predation and is regulated by an ECF sigma factor and cognate Ser/Thr kinase. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, v. 20, n. 4, SI, p. 1562-1575, APR 2018. (16/08400-6, 14/19720-6, 14/25261-4, 11/07777-5, 15/25381-2)

CESETI, LUCAS M.; DE SANTANA, ELIANE S.; RATAGAMI, CAMILA Y.; BARREIROS, YASMIN; LIMA, LIDIA DOS PASSOS; DUNGER, GERMAN; FARAH, CHUCK S.; ALVAREZ-MARTINEZ, CRISTINA E.. The Xanthomonas citri pv. citri Type VI Secretion System is Induced During Epiphytic Colonization of Citrus. Current Microbiology, v. 76, n. 10, p. 1105-1111, OCT 2019. (11/22571-4, 16/08400-6, 14/19720-6, 17/02318-9, 18/01852-4, 14/25261-4, 11/07777-5)