The dCache Domain of the Chemoreceptor Tlp1 in Campylobacter jejuni Binds and Triggers Chemotaxis toward Formate

Chemotaxis is important for Campylobacter jejuni to colonize favorable niches in the gastrointestinal tract of its host. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about the ligand molecules for C. jejuni chemoreceptors. ABSTRACT Chemotaxis is an important virulence factor in some enteric pathogens, and it is involved in the pathogenesis and colonization of the host. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the environmental signals that promote chemotactic behavior and the sensing of these signals by chemoreceptors. To date, there is no information on the ligand molecule that directly binds to and is sensed by Campylobacter jejuni Tlp1, which is a chemoreceptor with a dCache-type ligand-binding domain (LBD). dCache (double Calcium channels and chemotaxis receptor) is the largest group of sensory domains in bacteria, but the dCache-type chemoreceptor that directly binds to formate has not yet been discovered. In this study, formate was identified as a direct-binding ligand of C. jejuni Tlp1 with high sensing specificity. We used the strategy of constructing a functional hybrid receptor of C. jejuni Tlp1 and the Escherichia coli chemoreceptor Tar to screen for the potential ligand of Tlp1, with the binding of formate to Tlp1-LBD being verified using isothermal titration calorimetry. Molecular docking and experimental analyses indicated that formate binds to the membrane-proximal pocket of the dCache subdomain. Chemotaxis assays demonstrated that formate elicits robust attractant responses of the C. jejuni strain NCTC 11168, specifically via Tlp1. The chemoattraction effect of formate via Tlp1 promoted the growth of C. jejuni, especially when competing with Tlp1- or CheY-knockout strains. Our study reveals the molecular mechanisms by which C. jejuni mediates chemotaxis toward formate, and, to our knowledge, is the first report on the high-specificity binding of the dCache-type chemoreceptor to formate as well as the physiological role of chemotaxis toward formate. IMPORTANCE Chemotaxis is important for Campylobacter jejuni to colonize favorable niches in the gastrointestinal tract of its host. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about the ligand molecules for C. jejuni chemoreceptors. The dCache-type chemoreceptor, namely, Tlp1, is the most conserved chemoreceptor in C. jejuni strains; however, the direct-binding ligand(s) triggering chemotaxis has not yet been discovered. In the present study, we found that the ligand that binds directly to Tlp1-LBD with high specificity is formate. C. jejuni exhibits robust chemoattraction toward formate, primarily via Tlp1. Tlp1 is the first reported dCache-type chemoreceptor that specifically binds formate and triggers strong chemotaxis. We further demonstrated that the formate-mediated promotion of C. jejuni growth is correlated with Tlp1-mediated chemotaxis toward formate. Our work provides important insights into the mechanism and physiological function of chemotaxis toward formate and will facilitate further investigations into the involvement of microbial chemotaxis in pathogen-host interactions.