AUTHOR=Huang Li , Tian Xiu , Liu Mafeng , Wang Mingshu , Biville Francis , Cheng Anchun , Zhu Dekang , Jia Renyong , Chen Shun , Zhao Xinxin , Yang Qiao , Wu Ying , Zhang Shaqiu , Huang Juan , Tian Bin , Yu Yanling , Liu Yunya , Zhang Ling , Pan Leichang , Rehman Mujeeb Ur , Chen Xiaoyue TITLE=DprA Is Essential for Natural Competence in Riemerella anatipestifer and Has a Conserved Evolutionary Mechanism JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics VOLUME=10 YEAR=2019 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2019.00429 DOI=10.3389/fgene.2019.00429 ISSN=1664-8021 ABSTRACT=

Riemerella anatipestifer ATCC11845 (RA ATCC11845) is naturally competent. However, the genes involved in natural transformation in this species remain largely unknown. Bioinformatic analysis predicts that DprA of RA (DprARa) has three domains: a sterile alpha motif (SAM), a Rossmann fold (RF) domain and a Z-DNA-binding domain (Zα). Inactivation of dprA abrogated natural transformation in RA ATCC11845, and this effect was restored by the expression of dprA in trans. The dprA with SAM and RF domains of Streptococcus pneumoniae and the dprA with RF and Zα domains of Helicobacter pylori was able to restore natural transformation in the RA ATCC11845 dprA mutant. An Arg123 mutation in the RF domain of R. anatipestifer was not able to restore natural transformation of the RA ATCC11845 dprA mutant. Furthermore, DprAR123E abolished its ability to bind DNA, suggesting that the RF domain is essential for the function of DprA. Finally, the dprA of Fusobacterium naviforme which has not been reported to be natural competent currently was partially able to restore natural transformation in RA ATCC11845 dprA mutant. These results collectively suggest that DprA has a conserved evolutionary mechanism.