Ras GTPase-like protein MglA, a controller of bacterial social-motility in Myxobacteria, has evolved to control bacterial predation by Bdellovibrio

Milner, David S.; Till, Rob; Cadby, Ian; Lovering, Andrew L.; Basford, Sarah M.; Saxon, Emma B.; Liddell, Susan; Williams, Laura E.; Sockett, R. Elizabeth

Abstract

Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus invade Gram-negative bacteria in a predatory process requiring Type IV pili (T4P) at a single invasive pole, and also glide on surfaces to locate prey. Ras-like G-protein MglA, working with MglB and RomR in the deltaproteobacterium Myxococcus xanthus, regulates adventurous gliding and T4P-mediated social motility at both M. xanthus cell poles. Our bioinformatic analyses suggested that the GTPase activating protein (GAP)-encoding gene mglB was lost in Bdellovibrio, but critical residues for MglABd GTP-binding are conserved. Deletion of mglABd abolished prey-invasion, but not gliding, and reduced T4P formation. MglABd interacted with a previously uncharacterised tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain protein Bd2492, which we show localises at the single invasive pole and is required for predation. Bd2492 and RomR also interacted with cyclic-di-GMP-binding receptor CdgA, required for rapid prey-invasion. Bd2492, RomRBd and CdgA localize to the invasive pole and may facilitate MglA-docking. Bd2492 was encoded from an operon encoding a TamAB-like secretion system. The TamA protein and RomR were found, by gene deletion tests, to be essential for viability in both predatory and non-predatory modes. Control proteins, which regulate bipolar T4P-mediated social motility in swarming groups of deltaproteobacteria, have adapted in evolution to regulate the anti-social process of unipolar prey-invasion in the “lone-hunter” Bdellovibrio. Thus GTP-binding proteins and cyclic-di-GMP inputs combine at a regulatory hub, turning on prey-invasion and allowing invasion and killing of bacterial pathogens and consequent predatory growth of Bdellovibrio.

Citation

Milner, D. S., Till, R., Cadby, I., Lovering, A. L., Basford, S. M., Saxon, E. B., Liddell, S., Williams, L. E., & Sockett, R. E. (2014). Ras GTPase-like protein MglA, a controller of bacterial social-motility in Myxobacteria, has evolved to control bacterial predation by Bdellovibrio. PLoS Genetics, 10(4), Article e1004253. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1004253

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 4, 2014
• Publication Date: Apr 10, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jul 6, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 6, 2016
• Journal: PLoS Genetics
• Print ISSN: 1553-7390
• Electronic ISSN: 1553-7404
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 4
• Article Number: e1004253
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1004253
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/727152
• Publisher URL: http://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1004253
• Contract Date: Jul 6, 2016