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In the tick-borne pathogens, Borreliella burgdorferi and Borrelia hermsii, c-di-GMP is produced by a single diguanylate cyclase (Rrp1). In these pathogens, the Plz proteins (PlzA, B and C) are the only c-di-GMP receptors identified to date and PlzA is the sole c-di-GMP receptor found in all Borreliella isolates. Bioinformatic analyses suggest that PlzA has a unique PilZN3-PilZ architecture with the relatively uncommon xPilZ domain. Here, we present the crystal structure of PlzA in complex with c-di-GMP (1.6 Å resolution). This is the first structure of a xPilz domain in complex with c-di-GMP to be determined. PlzA has a two-domain structure, where each domain comprises topologically equivalent PilZ domains with minimal sequence identity but remarkable structural similarity. The c-di-GMP binding site is formed by the linker connecting the two domains. While the structure of apo PlzA could not be determined, previous fluorescence resonance energy transfer data suggest that apo and holo forms of the protein are structurally distinct. The information obtained from this study will facilitate ongoing efforts to identify the molecular mechanisms of PlzA-mediated regulation in ticks and mammals., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.)

Periodontal disease (PD) is a progressive inflammatory condition characterized by degradation of the gingival epithelium, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone ultimately resulting in tooth loss. Treponema denticola is a keystone periopathogen that contributes to immune dysregulation and direct tissue destruction. As periodontal disease develops, T. denticola must adapt to environmental, immunological and physiochemical changes in the subgingival crevice. Treponema denticola produces bis-(3'-5')-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP), an important regulatory nucleotide. While T. denticola encodes several putative diguanylate cyclases (DGCs), none have been studied and hence the biological role of c-di-GMP in oral treponemes remains largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that the T. denticola open reading frame, TDE0125, encodes a functional DGC designated as DgcA (Diguanylate cyclase A). The dgcA gene is universal among T. denticola isolates, highly conserved and is a stand-alone GGEEF protein with a GAF domain. Recombinant DgcA converts GTP to c-di-GMP using either manganese or magnesium under aerobic and anaerobic reaction conditions. Size exclusion chromatography revealed that DgcA exists as a homodimer and in larger oligomers. Site-directed mutagenesis of residues that define the putative inhibitory site of DgcA suggest that c-di-GMP production is allosterically regulated. This report is the first to characterize a DGC of an oral treponeme., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of FEMS.)

The c-di-GMP network of Borrelia burgdorferi, a causative agent of Lyme disease, consists of Rrp1, a diguanylate cyclase/response regulator; Hpk1, a histidine kinase; PdeA and PdeB, c-di-GMP phosphodiesterases; and PlzA, a PilZ domain c-di-GMP receptor. Borrelia hermsii, a causative agent of tick-borne relapsing fever, possesses a putative c-di-GMP regulatory network that is uncharacterized. While B. burgdorferi requires c-di-GMP to survive within ticks, the associated effector mechanisms are poorly defined. Using site-directed mutagenesis, size exclusion chromatography, isothermal titration calorimetry and fluorescence resonance energy transfer, we investigate the interaction of c-di-GMP with the Borrelia PilZ domain-containing Plz proteins: B. burgdorferi PlzA and B. hermsii PlzC. The Plz proteins were determined to be monomeric in their apo and holo forms and to bind c-di-GMP with high affinity with a 1:1 stoichiometry. C-di-GMP binding induced structural rearrangements in PlzA and PlzC. C-di-GMP binding proved to be dependent on positive charge at R 145 of the PilZ domain motif, R 145 xxxR. Comparative sequence analyses led to the identification of Borrelia consensus sequences for the PilZ domain signature motifs. This study provides insight into c-di-GMP:Plz receptor interaction and identifies a possible switch mechanism that may regulate Plz protein effector functions., (© FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

OspC is produced by all species of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex and is required for infectivity in mammals. To test the hypothesis that the conserved C-terminal motif (C10) of OspC is required for function in vivo, a mutant B. burgdorferi strain (B31::ospCΔC10) was created in which ospC was replaced with an ospC gene lacking the C10 motif. The ability of the mutant to infect mice was investigated using tick transmission and needle inoculation. Infectivity was assessed by cultivation, qRT-PCR, and measurement of IgG antibody responses. B31::ospCΔC10 retained the ability to infect mice by both needle and tick challenge and was competent to survive in ticks after exposure to the blood meal. To determine whether recombinant OspC protein lacking the C-terminal 10 amino acid residues (rOspCΔC10) can bind plasminogen, the only known mammalian-derived ligand for OspC, binding analyses were performed. Deletion of the C10 motif resulted in a statistically significant decrease in plasminogen binding. Although deletion of the C10 motif influenced plasminogen binding, it can be concluded that the C10 motif is not required for OspC to carry out its critical in vivo functions in tick to mouse transmission., (© 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.)