The GacS/A-Rsm Pathway Positively Regulates Motility and Flagella Synthesis in Azotobacter vinelandii

• Published in: Current microbiology Vol. 79; no. 1; p. 17
• Main Authors: López-Pliego, Liliana, Lara-Flores, Norarizbeth, Molina-Romero, Dalia, May-Compañ, Gabriela, Carreño-López, Ricardo, Núñez, Cinthia E., Castañeda, Miguel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-01-2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Azotobacter; Azotobacter vinelandii; Azotobacter vinelandii - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Flagella; Flagella - metabolism; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Humans; Life Sciences; Microbiology; Motility; Pseudomonadaceae; Pseudomonas; Swimming; Synthesis
• ISSN: 0343-8651; 1432-0991
• DOI: 10.1007/s00284-021-02695-3

Azotobacter vinelandii
is a motile bacterium that possesses an unusual pattern of peritrichous flagellation for members of the
Pseudomonadaceae
family. Unlike what has been reported for
Pseudomonas
spp. FleQ is not the master regulator of motility in
A
.
vinelandii
, this role is performed by FlhDC. Other factors involved in the regulation of motility are AlgU (σ
E
) and CydR which act as negative regulators. In some members of the
Enterobacteriaceae
and
Pseudomonadaceae
families, the GacS/A-Rsm pathway is another important factor regulating motility. In the present study, the involvement of the GacS/A-Rsm pathway in regulating the motility of
A
.
vinelandii
was explored; we found that contrary to what has been reported for most of the strains studied of
Pseudomonas
species, GacS/A, through the Rsm system, positively controlled swimming motility. We show that the target of this regulation is the synthesis of flagella, which most likely occurs in an FlhDC-independent manner.