A glyoxal-specific aldehyde signaling axis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that influences quorum sensing and infection

Abstract The universally conserved α-oxoaldehydes glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MGO) are toxic metabolic byproducts whose accumulation can lead to cell death. In the absence of a known, natural inducer of the GO-specific response in prokaryotes, we exploited RNA-seq to define a GO response in the...

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Main Authors: Christopher J. Corcoran, Bonnie J. Cuthbert, David G. Glanville, Mailyn Terrado, Diana Valverde Mendez, Benjamin P. Bratton, Daniel E. Schemenauer, Valerie L. Tokars, Thomas G. Martin, Lawrence W. Rasmussen, Matthew C. Madison, Andrew F. Maule, Joshua W. Shaevitz, Boo Shan Tseng, Julian P. Whitelegge, Catherine Putonti, Amit Gaggar, Jordan R. Beach, Jonathan A. Kirk, Alfonso Mondragón, Abby R. Kroken, Jonathan P. Allen, Celia W. Goulding, Andrew T. Ulijasz
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Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61469-8
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author Christopher J. Corcoran
Bonnie J. Cuthbert
David G. Glanville
Mailyn Terrado
Diana Valverde Mendez
Benjamin P. Bratton
Daniel E. Schemenauer
Valerie L. Tokars
Thomas G. Martin
Lawrence W. Rasmussen
Matthew C. Madison
Andrew F. Maule
Joshua W. Shaevitz
Boo Shan Tseng
Julian P. Whitelegge
Catherine Putonti
Amit Gaggar
Jordan R. Beach
Jonathan A. Kirk
Alfonso Mondragón
Abby R. Kroken
Jonathan P. Allen
Celia W. Goulding
Andrew T. Ulijasz
author_facet Christopher J. Corcoran
Bonnie J. Cuthbert
David G. Glanville
Mailyn Terrado
Diana Valverde Mendez
Benjamin P. Bratton
Daniel E. Schemenauer
Valerie L. Tokars
Thomas G. Martin
Lawrence W. Rasmussen
Matthew C. Madison
Andrew F. Maule
Joshua W. Shaevitz
Boo Shan Tseng
Julian P. Whitelegge
Catherine Putonti
Amit Gaggar
Jordan R. Beach
Jonathan A. Kirk
Alfonso Mondragón
Abby R. Kroken
Jonathan P. Allen
Celia W. Goulding
Andrew T. Ulijasz
author_sort Christopher J. Corcoran
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The universally conserved α-oxoaldehydes glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MGO) are toxic metabolic byproducts whose accumulation can lead to cell death. In the absence of a known, natural inducer of the GO-specific response in prokaryotes, we exploited RNA-seq to define a GO response in the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The highest upregulated operon consisted of the known glyoxalase (gloA2) and an antibiotic monooxygenase (ABM) domain of unknown function - renamed here Aldehyde responsive quorum-sensing Inhibitor (ArqI). The arqI-gloA2 operon is highly specific to GO induction and ArqI protein responds by migrating to the flagellar pole. An ArqI atomic structure revealed several unique features to the ABM family, including a ‘pinwheel’ hexamer harboring a GO-derived post-translational modification on a conserved arginine residue (Arg49). Induction of ArqI abrogates production of the Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal (PQS) quorum sensing molecule and was found to directly interact with PqsA; the first enzyme in the PQS biosynthesis pathway. Finally, we use a sepsis model of infection to reveal a survival requirement for arqI-gloA2 in blood-rich organs (heart, spleen, liver and lung). Here we define a global GO response in a pathogen, identify and characterize the first GO-specific operon and implicate its role in PQS production and host survival.
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spelling doaj-art-51e3ce5f23ff4da2abb45d98385979e12025-08-20T03:43:00ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116112410.1038/s41467-025-61469-8A glyoxal-specific aldehyde signaling axis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that influences quorum sensing and infectionChristopher J. Corcoran0Bonnie J. Cuthbert1David G. Glanville2Mailyn Terrado3Diana Valverde Mendez4Benjamin P. Bratton5Daniel E. Schemenauer6Valerie L. Tokars7Thomas G. Martin8Lawrence W. Rasmussen9Matthew C. Madison10Andrew F. Maule11Joshua W. Shaevitz12Boo Shan Tseng13Julian P. Whitelegge14Catherine Putonti15Amit Gaggar16Jordan R. Beach17Jonathan A. Kirk18Alfonso Mondragón19Abby R. Kroken20Jonathan P. Allen21Celia W. Goulding22Andrew T. Ulijasz23Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University ChicagoDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, IrvineDepartment of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at BirminghamDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University ChicagoLewis-Sigler Institute of Integrative Genomics, Princeton UniversityDepartment of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical CenterDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University ChicagoDepartment of Molecular Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, Northwestern UniversityDepartment of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineDepartment of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at BirminghamDepartment of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at BirminghamDepartment of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences, University of Wisconsin-MadisonLewis-Sigler Institute of Integrative Genomics, Princeton UniversitySchool of Life Sciences, University of Nevada Las VegasDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los AngelesDepartment of Biology, Loyola University ChicagoDepartment of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at BirminghamDepartment of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineDepartment of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of MedicineDepartment of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern UniversityDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University ChicagoDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University ChicagoDepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, University of California IrvineDepartment of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at BirminghamAbstract The universally conserved α-oxoaldehydes glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MGO) are toxic metabolic byproducts whose accumulation can lead to cell death. In the absence of a known, natural inducer of the GO-specific response in prokaryotes, we exploited RNA-seq to define a GO response in the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The highest upregulated operon consisted of the known glyoxalase (gloA2) and an antibiotic monooxygenase (ABM) domain of unknown function - renamed here Aldehyde responsive quorum-sensing Inhibitor (ArqI). The arqI-gloA2 operon is highly specific to GO induction and ArqI protein responds by migrating to the flagellar pole. An ArqI atomic structure revealed several unique features to the ABM family, including a ‘pinwheel’ hexamer harboring a GO-derived post-translational modification on a conserved arginine residue (Arg49). Induction of ArqI abrogates production of the Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal (PQS) quorum sensing molecule and was found to directly interact with PqsA; the first enzyme in the PQS biosynthesis pathway. Finally, we use a sepsis model of infection to reveal a survival requirement for arqI-gloA2 in blood-rich organs (heart, spleen, liver and lung). Here we define a global GO response in a pathogen, identify and characterize the first GO-specific operon and implicate its role in PQS production and host survival.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61469-8
spellingShingle Christopher J. Corcoran
Bonnie J. Cuthbert
David G. Glanville
Mailyn Terrado
Diana Valverde Mendez
Benjamin P. Bratton
Daniel E. Schemenauer
Valerie L. Tokars
Thomas G. Martin
Lawrence W. Rasmussen
Matthew C. Madison
Andrew F. Maule
Joshua W. Shaevitz
Boo Shan Tseng
Julian P. Whitelegge
Catherine Putonti
Amit Gaggar
Jordan R. Beach
Jonathan A. Kirk
Alfonso Mondragón
Abby R. Kroken
Jonathan P. Allen
Celia W. Goulding
Andrew T. Ulijasz
A glyoxal-specific aldehyde signaling axis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that influences quorum sensing and infection
Nature Communications
title A glyoxal-specific aldehyde signaling axis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that influences quorum sensing and infection
title_full A glyoxal-specific aldehyde signaling axis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that influences quorum sensing and infection
title_fullStr A glyoxal-specific aldehyde signaling axis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that influences quorum sensing and infection
title_full_unstemmed A glyoxal-specific aldehyde signaling axis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that influences quorum sensing and infection
title_short A glyoxal-specific aldehyde signaling axis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that influences quorum sensing and infection
title_sort glyoxal specific aldehyde signaling axis in pseudomonas aeruginosa that influences quorum sensing and infection
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61469-8
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