Insights into the mechanism of action of the arbitrium communication system in SPbeta phages

Gallego del Sol, F., Quiles-Puchalt, N., Brady, A., Penadés, J. R. and Marina, A. (2022) Insights into the mechanism of action of the arbitrium communication system in SPbeta phages. Nature Communications, 13, 3627. (doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-31144-3) (PMID:35750663) (PMCID:PMC9232636)

Abstract

The arbitrium system is employed by phages of the SPbeta family to communicate with their progeny during infection to decide either to follow the lytic or the lysogenic cycle. The system is controlled by a peptide, AimP, that binds to the regulator AimR, inhibiting its DNA-binding activity and expression of aimX. Although the structure of AimR has been elucidated for phages SPβ and phi3T, there is still controversy regarding the molecular mechanism of AimR function, with two different proposed models for SPβ. In this study, we deepen our understanding of the system by solving the structure of an additional AimR that shows chimerical characteristics with the SPβ receptor. The crystal structures of this AimR (apo, AimP-bound and DNA-bound) together with in vitro and in vivo analyses confirm a mechanism of action by AimP-induced conformational restriction, shedding light on peptide specificity and cross regulation with relevant biological implications.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Penades, Prof Jose R and Brady, Aisling
• Authors: Gallego del Sol, F., Quiles-Puchalt, N., Brady, A., Penadés, J. R., and Marina, A.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity
• Journal Name: Nature Communications
• Publisher: Nature Research
• ISSN: 2041-1723
• ISSN (Online): 2041-1723
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Nature Communications 13: 3627
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
170721		Molecular biology of the PICIs, a novel and widespread family of mobile genetic elements involved in bacterial virulence	Jose R Penades	Medical Research Council (MRC)	MR/M003876/1	III - Bacteriology - Dr J Penades
304055		Deciphering Gram-negative phage-inducible chromosomal island strategies for spreading in nature	Jose R Penades	Medical Research Council (MRC)	MRS00940X/1	III - Bacteriology
172242		Understanding a novel mechanim involving pathogenity islands in the transfer of unlinked chromosomal virulence genes	Jose R Penades	Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)	BB/N002873/1	Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation
302971		Helper and satellite pathogenicity islands: the discovery of two novel subcellular elements with a huge impact on bacterial pathogenesis and evolution	Jose R Penades	Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)	BB/S003835/1	III - Bacteriology
172321		DUT-Signal	Jose R Penades	European Research Council (ERC)	670932	Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation
173671		Prof. R. Fitzgerald. Wellcome Trust Award 201531/Z/16/Z - Understanding bacterial host adaptation to combat infectious diseases	Jose R Penades	Wellcome Trust (WELLCOTR)	R44516 - WT 201531/Z/16/Z	Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation