Authors

Abstract

Brucella abortus sigma(E1) is an EcfG family sigma factor that regulates the transcription of dozens of genes in response to diverse stress conditions and is required for maintenance of chronic infection in a mouse model. A putative ATP-binding cassette transporter operon, bab1_0223-bab1_0226, is among the most highly activated gene sets in the sigma(E1) regulon. The proteins encoded by the operon resemble quaternary ammonium-compatible solute importers but are most similar in sequence to the broadly conserved YehZYXW system, which remains largely uncharacterized. Transcription of yehZYXW is activated by the general stress sigma factor sigma(S) in Enterobacteriaceae, which suggests a functional role for this transport system in bacterial stress response across the classes Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria. We present evidence that B. abortus YehZYXW does not function as an importer of known compatible solutes under physiological conditions and does not contribute to the virulence defect of a sigma(E1)- null strain. The sole in vitro phenotype associated with genetic disruption of this putative transport system is reduced growth in the presence of high Li+ ion concentrations. A crystal structure of B. abortus YehZ revealed a class II periplasmic binding protein fold with significant structural homology to Archaeoglobus fulgidus ProX, which binds glycine betaine. However, the structure of the YehZ ligand-binding pocket is incompatible with high-affinity binding to glycine betaine. This is consistent with weak measured binding of YehZ to glycine betaine and related compatible solutes. We conclude that YehZYXW is a conserved, stress-regulated transport system that is phylogenetically and functionally distinct from quaternary ammonium-compatible solute importers