Surviving the storm: exploring the role of natural transformation in nutrition and DNA repair of stressed .

, a natural transformation (NT)-enabled bacterium renowned for its exceptional radiation resistance, employs unique DNA repair and oxidative stress mitigation mechanisms as a strategic response to DNA damage. This study excavates into the intricate roles of NT machinery in the stressed , focusing on the genes , , , , and , which are instrumental in the uptake and processing of extracellular DNA (eDNA). Our data reveal that NT not only supports the nutritional needs of under stress but also has roles in DNA repair.

Multitasking functions of bacterial extracellular DNA in biofilms.

Bacterial biofilms are intricate ecosystems of microbial communities that adhere to various surfaces and are enveloped by an extracellular matrix composed of polymeric substances. Within the context of bacterial biofilms, extracellular DNA (eDNA) originates from cell lysis or is actively secreted, where it exerts a significant influence on the formation, stability, and resistance of biofilms to environmental stressors. The exploration of eDNA within bacterial biofilms holds paramount importance in research, with far-reaching implications for both human health and the environment.

Natural transformation-specific DprA coordinate DNA double-strand break repair pathways in heavily irradiated .

exhibits remarkable survival under extreme conditions, including ionizing radiation, desiccation, and various DNA-damaging agents. It employs unique repair mechanisms, such as single-strand annealing (SSA) and extended synthesis-dependent strand annealing (ESDSA), to efficiently restore damaged genome. In this study, we investigate the role of the natural transformation-specific protein DprA in DNA repair pathways following acute gamma radiation exposure.

Inter-species competition of surface bacterial flora of pomegranate and their role in spoilage.

The surface of fruits is heterogenous in term of its microenvironment hence dictate the kind of microflora that develops during storage. A better understanding of spoilage organisms would lead to better preservation methods. The pomegranate was chosen, since its sturdy and spoils slow at room temperature and is ideal for studying fruit spoilage in-situ.

Biochemical Properties and Roles of DprA Protein in Bacterial Natural Transformation, Virulence, and Pilin Variation.

Natural transformation enables bacteria to acquire DNA from the environment and contributes to genetic diversity, DNA repair, and nutritional requirements. DNA processing protein A (DprA) receives incoming single-stranded DNA and assists RecA loading for homology-directed natural chromosomal transformation and DNA strand annealing during plasmid transformation. The gene occurs in the genomes of all known bacteria, irrespective of their natural transformation status.

Characterization of DNA Processing Protein A (DprA) of the Radiation-Resistant Bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans.

Environmental DNA uptake by certain bacteria and its integration into their genome create genetic diversity and new phenotypes. DNA processing protein A (DprA) is part of a multiprotein complex and facilitates the natural transformation (NT) phenotype in most bacteria. Deinococcus radiodurans, an extremely radioresistant bacterium, is efficient in NT, and its genome encodes nearly all of the components of the natural competence complex.

Involvement of serine / threonine protein kinases in DNA damage response and cell division in bacteria.

The roles of Serine/Threonine protein kinases (STPKs) in bacterial physiology, including bacterial responses to nutritional stresses and under pathogenesis have been well documented. STPKs roles in bacterial cell cycle regulation and DNA damage response have not been much emphasized, possibly because the LexA/RecA type SOS response became the synonym to DNA damage response and cell cycle regulation in bacteria. This review summarizes current knowledge of STPKs genetics, domain organization, and their roles in DNA damage response and cell division regulation in bacteria.

PprA Protein Inhibits DNA Strand Exchange and ATP Hydrolysis of RecA and Regulates the Recombination in Gamma-Irradiated Cells.

DrRecA and PprA proteins function are crucial for the extraordinary resistance to γ-radiation and DNA strand break repair in . DrRecA mediated homologous recombination help in DNA strand break repair and cell survival, while the PprA protein confers radio-resistance its roles in DNA repair, genome maintenance, and cell division. Genetically and genes interact and constitute an epistatic group however, the mechanism underlying their functional interaction is not clear.

WD40 domain of RqkA regulates its kinase activity and role in extraordinary radioresistance of .

RqkA, a DNA damage responsive serine/threonine kinase, is characterized for its role in DNA repair and cell division in . It has a unique combination of a kinase domain at N-terminus and a WD40 type domain at C-terminus joined through a linker. WD40 domain is comprised of eight β-propeller repeats held together via 'tryptophan-docking motifs' and forming a typical 'velcro' closure structure.

Understanding the influence of heavy water stress on the physiology of Salmonella Typhimurium.

The heavy isotope of water is used in understanding the physiology of bacteria. Deuterium (DO) reduces chemical reaction kinetics. In the present study, the survivability of the food-borne pathogen Salmonella Typhimurium grown in DO supplemented medium is studied under various stress conditions.

Phosphorylation of FtsZ and FtsA by a DNA Damage-Responsive Ser/Thr Protein Kinase Affects Their Functional Interactions in .

, a highly radioresistant bacterium, does not show LexA-dependent regulation of expression in response to DNA damage. On the other hand, phosphorylation of DNA repair proteins such as PprA and RecA by a DNA damage-responsive Ser/Thr protein kinase (STPK) (RqkA) could improve their DNA metabolic activities as well as their roles in the radioresistance of Here we report RqkA-mediated phosphorylation of cell division proteins FtsZ and FtsA and in surrogate bacteria expressing RqkA. Mass spectrometric analysis mapped serine 235 and serine 335 in FtsZ and threonine 272, serine 370, and serine 386 in FtsA as potential phosphorylation sites.

The ploidy of Vibrio cholerae is variable and is influenced by growth phase and nutrient levels.

The ploidy of Vibrio cholerae was quantified under different growth conditions. The V. cholerae was found to be (mero-) oligoploid or polyploid.

Divisome and segrosome components of Deinococcus radiodurans interact through cell division regulatory proteins.

The Deinococcus radiodurans genome encodes many of the known components of divisome as well as four sets of genome partitioning proteins, ParA and ParB on its multipartite genome. Interdependent regulation of cell division and genome segregation is not understood. In vivo interactions of D.