Bacterial pathogen deploys the iminosugar glycosyrin to manipulate plant glycobiology
The extracellular space (apoplast) in plants is a key battleground during microbial infections. To avoid recognition, the bacterial model phytopathogen <i>Pseudomonas syringae</i> pv. <i>tomato</i> DC3000 produces glycosyrin. Glycosyrin inhibits the plant-secreted β-galactosidase BGAL1, which would otherwise initiate the release of immunogenic peptides from bacterial flagellin. Here, we report the structure, biosynthesis, and multifunctional roles of glycosyrin. High-resolution cryo-electron microscopy and chemical synthesis revealed that glycosyrin is an iminosugar with a five-membered pyrrolidine ring and a hydrated aldehyde that mimics monosaccharides. Glycosyrin biosynthesis was controlled by virulence regulators, and its production is common in bacteria and prevents flagellin recognition and alters the extracellular glycoproteome and metabolome of infected plants. These findings highlight a potentially wider role for glycobiology manipulation by plant pathogens across the plant kingdom.
Authors
- Nattapong Sanguankiattichai (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4408-8262)
- Gail M. Preston (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3882-4438)
- Richard Strasser (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8764-6530)
- Markus Kaiser (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6540-8520)
- Daniel Krahn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0934-4355)
- Pierre Buscaill (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4756-1203)
- Margit Drapal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9586-8328)
- Clemens Grünwald‐Gruber (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6097-8348)
- Suzuka Yamamoto
- Farnusch Kaschani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6572-3232)
- Balakumaran Chandrasekar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5696-6777)
- Yuewen Sheng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3067-9520)
- Atsushi Kato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8022-196X)
- Nathan Hardenbrook (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1539-6768)
- Renier A. L. van der Hoorn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3692-7487)
- Robert J. Nash (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3272-640X)
- Peijun Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1803-691X)
- George W. J. Fleet
- Werner W. A. Tabak (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8857-2794)
Institutions
- Centre for Human Genetics (GB)
- Royal Holloway University of London (GB)
- Mahidol University (TH)
- Diamond Light Source (GB)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Leibniz Institute for Analytical Sciences - ISAS (DE)
- Vienna Biocenter (AT)
- Toyama University Hospital (JP)
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (GB)
- University of Toyama (JP)
- University of Duisburg-Essen (DE)
- BOKU University (AT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Science
- Published
- 2025-04-17
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adp2433
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Plant Pathogenic Bacteria Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 7.00