Outer membrane 'PusCD' complexes coordinate phospho(inositol)lipid utilisation in plant Bacteroidota
- 1University of Sheffield
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria belonging to the phylum Bacteroidota are prominent and ecologically important members of host-associated microbiomes. A feature of Bacteroidota species is the presence of diverse outer membrane TonB-dependent transporter and cognate surface exposed lipoprotein (TBDT-SLP) complexes. Many 'SusCD-like' TBDT-SLPs coordinate complex carbohydrate capture from the environment. Here, we show the model soil Bacteroidota species Flavobacterium johnsoniae synthesises two TBDT-SLP complexes (named PusCD1 and PusCD2) that are essential for growth on phosphatidylinositol, a member of an abundant lipid class within plant plasma membranes, as a phosphorus source. Structural characterisation of ligand-bound PusCD1 complex from F. johnsoniae membranes reveals a new binding mechanism for organophosphorus and broadens the known functional repertoire of this class of transporters. Diverse PusCD-like complexes are widespread among plant associated Bacteroidota, pointing to a major, previously unrecognised route for the recycling of organophosphorus compounds in the rhizosphere, with potential implications for engineering microbial-mediated phosphorus recovery from organic waste streams.
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BibTeX
@misc{connolly2026outer,
title = {{Outer membrane 'PusCD' complexes coordinate phospho(inositol)lipid utilisation in plant Bacteroidota}},
author = {A. N. Connolly and L. Moushtaq and P. Qian and A. A. Brindley and D. J. Scanlan and B. van den Berg and A. Hitchcock and I. Lidbury},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.03.749221},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.03.749221v1},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Outer membrane 'PusCD' complexes coordinate phospho(inositol)lipid utilisation in plant Bacteroidota
AU - A. N. Connolly
AU - L. Moushtaq
AU - P. Qian
AU - A. A. Brindley
AU - D. J. Scanlan
AU - B. van den Berg
AU - A. Hitchcock
AU - I. Lidbury
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/03
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.03.749221
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.03.749221v1
AB - Gram-negative bacteria belonging to the phylum Bacteroidota are prominent and ecologically important members of host-associated microbiomes. A feature of Bacteroidota species is the presence of diverse outer membrane TonB-dependent transporter and cognate surface exposed lipoprotein (TBDT-SLP) complexes. Many 'SusCD-like' TBDT-SLPs coordinate complex carbohydrate capture from the environment. Here, we show the model soil Bacteroidota species Flavobacterium johnsoniae synthesises two TBDT-SLP complexes (named PusCD1 and PusCD2) that are essential for growth on phosphatidylinositol, a member of an abundant lipid class within plant plasma membranes, as a phosphorus source. Structural characterisation of ligand-bound PusCD1 complex from F. johnsoniae membranes reveals a new binding mechanism for organophosphorus and broadens the known functional repertoire of this class of transporters. Diverse PusCD-like complexes are widespread among plant associated Bacteroidota, pointing to a major, previously unrecognised route for the recycling of organophosphorus compounds in the rhizosphere, with potential implications for engineering microbial-mediated phosphorus recovery from organic waste streams.
ER -