Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen causing severe acute and chronic infections. Earlier we have shown that calcium (Ca2+) induces P. aeruginosa biofilm formation and production of virulence factors. To enable further studies of the regulatory role of Ca2+, we characterized Ca2+ homeostasis in P. aeruginosa PAO1 cells. By using Ca2+-binding photoprotein aequorin, we determined that the concentration of free intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]in) is 0.14±0.05μM. In response to external Ca2+, the [Ca2+]in quickly increased at least 13-fold followed by a multi-phase decline by up to 73%. Growth at elevated Ca2+ modulated this response. Treatment with inhibitors known to affect Ca2+ channels, monovalent cations gradient, or P-type and F-type ATPases impaired [Ca2+]in response, suggesting the importance of the corresponding mechanisms in Ca2+ homeostasis. To identify Ca2+ transporters maintaining this homeostasis, bioinformatic and LC–MS/MS-based membrane proteomic analyses were used. [Ca2+]in homeostasis was monitored for seven Ca2+-affected and eleven bioinformatically predicted transporters by using transposon insertion mutants. Disruption of P-type ATPases PA2435, PA3920, and ion exchanger PA2092 significantly impaired Ca2+ homeostasis. The lack of PA3920 and vanadate treatment abolished Ca2+-induced swarming, suggesting the role of the P-type ATPase in regulating P. aeruginosa response to Ca2+.

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