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- Title
Characterization of a lipoprotein, NilC, required byXenorhabdus nematophilafor mutualism with its nematode host.
- Authors
Cowles, Charles E.; Goodrich-Blair, Heidi
- Abstract
Xenorhabdus nematophilais aγ-proteobacterial mutualist of an insect-pathogenic nematode,Steinernema carpocapsae.X. nematophilarequiresnilC, a gene predicted to encode an outer membrane lipoprotein of unknown function, for colonization of its nematode host. Characterization of NilC, described here, demonstrated it is a 28 kDa lipoprotein directed to the periplasm by an N-terminal signal sequence. Lipidation and processing of NilC occurs by a mechanism that is conserved in proteobacteria. This work also showed NilC is membrane associated and oriented towards the periplasm ofX. nematophilaand is produced as an outer membrane-associated protein when expressed inEscherichia coli. Expression analyses revealed thatnilCtranscription is directly or indirectly repressed by Lrp, and this regulatory link may explain the nematode mutualism defect of a previously identifiedlrp::Tn5mutant. Anlrp::Tn5mutant produces an additionalnilCtranscript, not observed in wild-type cells growingin vitro, and produces≈ 75-fold more nilC than wild-type cells in late stationary phase. These fundamental characterizations ofnilCexpression and nilC localization and processing events have provided firm bases for understanding the role of this colonization factor in theX. nematophila/ S. carpocapsaemicrobe–host interaction.
- Subjects
LIPOPROTEINS; ENTEROBACTERIACEAE; NEMATODES; MICROBIAL proteins; MOLECULAR microbiology
- Publication
Molecular Microbiology, 2004, Vol 54, Issue 2, p464
- ISSN
0950-382X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1365-2958.2004.04271.x