Transcriptional profiling of three Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae biovars reveals different responses to apoplast-like conditions related to strain virulence

Abstract

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) is a phytopathogen that causes devastating bacterial canker in kiwifruit. Among five biovars defined by genetic, biochemical and virulence traits, Psa3 is the most aggressive and is responsible for the most recent reported outbreaks, but the molecular basis of its heightened virulence is unclear. We therefore designed the first P. syringae multi-strain whole-genome microarray, encompassing biovars Psa1, Psa2 and Psa3 and the well-established model P. syringae pv. tomato, and analyzed early bacterial responses to an apoplast-like minimal medium. Transcriptomic profiling revealed (i) the strong activation in Psa3 of all hrp/hrc cluster genes, encoding components of the type III secretion system required for bacterial pathogenicity and involved in responses to environmental signals; (ii) potential repression of the hrp/hrc cluster in Psa2; and (iii) activation of flagellum-dependent cell motility and chemotaxis genes in Psa1. The detailed investigation of three gene families encoding upstream regulatory proteins (histidine kinases, their cognate response regulators, and proteins with diguanylate cyclase and/or phosphodiesterase domains) indicated that c-di-GMP may be a key regulator of virulence in Psa biovars. The gene expression data were supported by the quantification of biofilm formation. Our findings suggest that diverse early responses to the host apoplast, even among bacteria belonging to the same pathovar, can lead to different virulence strategies and may explain the differing outcomes of infections. Based on our detailed structural analysis of hrp operons, we also propose a revision of hrp cluster organization and operon regulation in P. syringae. Author summaryPseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) is a bacterial pathogen that infects kiwifruit crops. Recent outbreaks have been particularly devastating due to the emergence of a new biovar (Psa3), but the molecular basis of its virulence is unknown so it is difficult to develop mitigation strategies. In this study, we compared the gene expression profiles of Psa3 and various less-virulent biovars in an environment that mimics early infection, to determine the basis of pathogenicity. Genes involved in the assembly and activity of the type III secretion system, which is crucial for the secretion of virulence effectors, were strongly upregulated in Psa3 while lower or not expressed in the other biovars. We also observed the Psa3-specific expression of genes encoding upstream signaling components, confirming that strains of the same bacterial pathovar can respond differently to early contact with their host. Finally, our data suggested a key role in Psa virulence switch ability for the small chemical signaling molecule c-di-GMP, which suppresses the expression of virulence genes. This effect of c-di-GMP levels on Psa3 virulence should be further investigated and confirmed to develop new mitigation methods to target this pathway.