Antagonistic response regulators spatially regulate receptor methylation in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pil-Chp surface sensing system

• DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115536
• Publication Date: 2025-04-08T22:10:06Z
• Authors: Ramiro Patino; Marco J. Kühn; Henriette Macmillan; Yuki F. Inclan; Ivan Chavez; Alexandre Persat; Joanne N. Engel

Most bacterial chemosensory systems encode enzymes that are predicted to methylate and demethylate their chemoreceptors control signaling activity. Here, we show a methyltransferase (PilK) methylesterase (ChpB) demethylate, respectively, the chemoreceptor PilJ in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) Pil-Chp surface sensing system. methylation modulates amplitude of cAMP production frequency twitching motility reversals, outputs signaling. Dynamic imaging fluorescent fusion proteins individual cells reveals PilK ChpB localize opposite poles, with at lagging pole leading pole. These switch poles upon process dependent on response regulators PilG PilH. Our results suggest population each exists dynamic states may reset activity during P. sensing, key feature adaptation.