Bacterial cell sensing and signaling pathway for external polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

• Published in: iScience 2023-10, Vol.26 (10), p.107912-107912, Article 107912
• Main Authors: Wang, Wanpeng, Xia, Jingyu, Wang, Zining, Shao, Zongze
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied microbiology; Cell biology; Microbiology
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107912

The mechanism by which a bacterial cell senses external nutrients remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified a bacterial cell sensing system for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a common marine PAH-using bacterium, Cycloclasticus. It consists of an outer membrane receptor (PahS) and a periplasmic protein (PahP) in combination with a two-component sensing system (TCS) that ensures a rapid response to PAH occurrence by directly controlling serial reactions including chemotactic sensing and movement, PAH uptake and intracellular PAH metabolism. PahS protrudes from the cell and acts as a PAH sensor, transducing the PAH signal across the outer membrane to its periplasmic partner PahP, which in turn transduces the PAH signal across the periplasm to a specialized TCS. This sensing system plays a critical role in sensing and promoting the metabolism of PAHs, which can be scavenged by various hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria. [Display omitted] •A bacterial cell sensing system for PAHs, which is composed of PahS/PahP/PahK/PahR•The signaling pathway as follows: PAH → PahS/P → PahP-PAH → TCS → metabolic processes•PAHs acting as the chemical signal is captured by the outer membrane receptor PahS•Receiving PAH, PahP is detached from PahS, and transmits the PAH signal to the PahK Microbiology; Applied microbiology; Cell biology