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YmoA functions as a molecular stress sensor in Yersinia
Tifaine Héchard1, Lu Lu1, Tomas Edgren2
1Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Communications Biology
|February 13, 2025
Summary
Pathogenic bacteria like Yersinia use the YmoA protein to sense environmental changes. This stress sensor adjusts virulence gene expression and bacterial fitness in response to temperature and salt levels.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Bacterial Pathogenesis
Background:
- Pathogenic bacteria must adapt to environmental changes for infection.
- YmoA/Hha proteins are key regulators in Enterobacteriaceae, controlling responses to stimuli.
- YmoA in Yersinia modulates virulence traits with temperature shifts, but its sensing mechanism is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which YmoA senses environmental signals.
- To investigate the role of YmoA in bacterial stress response and virulence.
Main Methods:
- Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to analyze protein structure and dynamics.
- Biological assays to assess bacterial fitness and virulence.
- RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to profile gene expression changes.
Main Results:
- YmoA exhibits structural fluctuations and conformational changes in response to temperature and osmolarity.
- These dynamics correlate with alterations in plasmid copy number, bacterial fitness, and virulence.
- Specific residues and the C-terminus of YmoA are critical for sensing temperature and salt.
Conclusions:
- YmoA functions as a central stress sensor in Yersinia.
- It fine-tunes virulence gene expression and balances metabolic trade-offs in response to environmental cues.
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