Neutralization of bacterial yoeBspn toxicity and enhanced plant growth in Arabidopsis thaliana via co-expression of the toxin-antitoxin genes

Bakar, F.A. and Yeo, C.C. and Harikrishna, J.A. (2016) Neutralization of bacterial yoeBspn toxicity and enhanced plant growth in Arabidopsis thaliana via co-expression of the toxin-antitoxin genes. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 17 (4). p. 321. ISSN 1661-6596, DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17040321.

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17040321

Abstract

Bacterial toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems have various cellular functions, including as part of the general stress response. The genome of the Gram-positive human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae harbors several putative TA systems, including yefM-yoeBSpn, which is one of four systems that had been demonstrated to be biologically functional. Overexpression of the yoeBSpn toxin gene resulted in cell stasis and eventually cell death in its native host, as well as in Escherichia coli. Our previous work showed that induced expression of a yoeBSpn toxin-Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) fusion gene apparently triggered apoptosis and was lethal in the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. In this study, we investigated the effects of co-expression of the yefMSpn antitoxin and yoeBSpn toxin-GFP fusion in transgenic A. thaliana. When co-expressed in Arabidopsis, the YefMSpn antitoxin was found to neutralize the toxicity of YoeBSpn-GFP.Interestingly,theinducible expression of both yefMSpn antitoxin and yoeBSpn toxin-GFP fusion in transgenic hybrid Arabidopsis resulted in larger rosette leaves and taller plants with a higher number of inflorescence stems and increased silique production. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a prokaryotic antitoxin neutralizing its cognate toxin in plant cells.

Item Type: Article
Funders: UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords: Bacterial toxin-antitoxin; YefM antitoxin; YoeB toxin; 17-β-estradiol induction; Heterologous expression; Arabidopsis thaliana
Subjects: Q Science > Q Science (General)
Q Science > QH Natural history
Divisions: Faculty of Science > Institute of Biological Sciences
Depositing User: Ms. Juhaida Abd Rahim
Date Deposited: 05 Dec 2017 02:59
Last Modified: 05 Dec 2017 02:59
URI: http://eprints.um.edu.my/id/eprint/18442

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