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The Borrelia burgdorferi c-di-GMP Binding Receptors, PlzA and PlzB, Are Functionally Distinct

Overview of attention for article published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, July 2018
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Title
The Borrelia burgdorferi c-di-GMP Binding Receptors, PlzA and PlzB, Are Functionally Distinct
Published in
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, July 2018
DOI 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00213
Pubmed ID
Authors

Jessica L. Kostick-Dunn, Jerilyn R. Izac, John C. Freedman, Lee T. Szkotnicki, Lee D. Oliver, Richard T. Marconi

Abstract

Cyclic-di-GMP (c-di-GMP) contributes to the regulation of processes required by the Lyme disease (LD) spirochetes to complete the tick-mammal enzootic cycle. Our understanding of the effector mechanisms of c-di-GMP in the Borrelia is evolving. While most LD spirochete isolates encode a single PilZ domain containing c-di-GMP receptor designated as PlzA, genome analyses have revealed that a subset encode a second PilZ domain protein (PlzB). The c-di-GMP binding potential of PlzB, and its role in LD spirochete biology, have not been investigated. To determine if PlzB binds c-di-GMP, plzB from B. burgdorferi isolate ZS7 was PCR amplified, cloned, and recombinant protein generated. PlzB bound c-di-GMP but not other nucleotides, indicating a specific binding interaction. To determine if PlzA and PlzB are functionally synonymous, a series of allelic-exchange gene deletion and cis-complemented strains were generated in the B. burgdorferi B31 background. B. burgdorferi B31-ΔplzA was competent to infect Ixodes scapularis larvae but not mice when delivered by either needle or tick feeding. B. burgdorferi B31-ΔplzA also displayed an atypical motility phenotype. Complementation in cis of B. burgdorferi B31-ΔplzA with plzA (B31-plzA KI) restored wild-type (wt) phenotype. However, a strain complemented in cis with plzB (B31-plzB KI) did not. The data presented here are consistent with an earlier study that demonstrated that PlzA plays an essential role in spirochete survival in the mammalian environment. We add to our understanding of the c-di-GMP regulatory network by demonstrating that while PlzB binds c-di-GMP, it is not functionally synonymous with PlzA. The absence of plzB from most strains suggests that it is not required for survival. One possibility is that cells that harbor both PlzA and PlzB might have enhanced biological fitness or increased virulence.

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X Demographics

The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 6 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 19 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 19 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Ph. D. Student 5 26%
Student > Doctoral Student 3 16%
Student > Bachelor 2 11%
Professor 2 11%
Student > Master 2 11%
Other 2 11%
Unknown 3 16%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Immunology and Microbiology 6 32%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 4 21%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology 3 16%
Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine 2 11%
Medicine and Dentistry 1 5%
Other 0 0%
Unknown 3 16%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 3. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 23 July 2019.
All research outputs
#13,104,474
of 23,094,276 outputs
Outputs from Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
#1,917
of 6,563 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#158,426
of 326,767 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
#40
of 98 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 23,094,276 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 42nd percentile – i.e., 42% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 6,563 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.5. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 69% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 326,767 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 50% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 98 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 55% of its contemporaries.