Regulatory interactions between quorum-sensing, Auxin, cytokinin, and the Hrp regulon in relation to gall formation and epiphytic fitness of pantoea agglomerans pv. gypsophilae

Gall formation by Pantoea agglomérons pv. gypsophilae is controlled by hrp/hrc genes, phytohormones, and the quorum-sensing (QS) regulatory system. The interactions between these three components were investigated. Disruption of the QS genes pagl and pagR and deletion of both substantially reduced the transcription levels of the hrp regulatory genes hrpXY, hrpS, and hrpL, as determined by quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Expression of hrpL in planta was inhibited by addition of 20 IiM or higher concentrations of the QS signal C₄-HSL. The pagR and hrpL mutants caused an equivalent reduction of 1.3 orders in bacterial multiplication on bean leaves, suggesting possible mediation of the QS effect on epiphytic fitness of P. agglomerans pv. gypsophilae by the hrp regulatory system, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and cytokinin significantly affected the expression of the QS and hrp regulatory genes. Transcription of pagl, pagR, hrpL, and hrpS in planta was substantially reduced in iaaH mutant (disrupted in IAA biosynthesis via the indole-3-acetamide pathway) and etz mutant (disrupted in cytokinin biosynthesis). In contrast, the ipdC mutant (disrupted in IAA biosynthesis via the indole-3-pyruvate pathway) substantially increased expression of pagl, pagR, hrpL, and hrpS. Results presented suggest the involvement of IAA and cytokinins in regulation of the QS system and hrp regulatory genes.