BrnQ-type Branched-chain Amino Acid Transporters Influence Bacillus anthracis Growth and Virulence

Bacillus anthracis, the anthrax agent, exhibits robust proliferation in diverse niches of mammalian hosts. Metabolic attributes of B. anthracis that permit rapid growth in multiple mammalian tissues have not been established. We posit that branched-chain amino acid (BCAA: Isoleucine, leucine and valine) metabolism is key to B. anthracis pathogenesis. Increasing evidence indicates relationships between B. anthracis virulence and expression of BCAA-related genes. Expression of some BCAA-related genes is altered during culture in bovine blood in vitro and the bacterium exhibits valine auxotrophy in a blood serum mimic medium. Transcriptome analyses have revealed that the virulence regulator AtxA, that positively affects expression of the anthrax toxin and capsule genes, negatively regulates genes predicted to be associated with BCAA biosynthesis and transport. Here, we show that B. anthracis growth in defined media is severely restricted in the absence of exogenous BCAAs, indicating that BCAA transport is required for optimal growth in vitro. We demonstrate functional redundancy among multiple BrnQ-type BCAA transporters. Three transporters are associated with isoleucine and valine transport, and deletion of one, BrnQ3, attenuates virulence in a murine model for anthrax. Interestingly, an ilvD-null mutant lacking dihydroxy-acid dehydratase, an enzyme essential for BCAAs synthesis, exhibits unperturbed growth when cultured in media containing BCAAs, but is highly attenuated in the murine model. Finally, our data show that BCAAs enhance AtxA activity in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting a model in which BCAAs serve as a signal for virulence gene expression. IMPORTANCEInfection with B. anthracis can result in systemic disease with large numbers of the bacterium in multiple tissues. We found that BCAA synthesis is insufficient for robust growth of B. anthracis; access to branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) is necessary for proliferation of the pathogen during culture and during infection in a murine model for anthrax. B. anthracis produces an unusually large repertoire of BCAA-related transporters. We identified three isoleucine/valine transporters with partial functional redundancy during culture. Deletion of one of these transporters, BrnQ3, resulted in attenuated virulence. Interestingly, a BCAA biosynthesis mutant grew well in medium containing BCAAs, but like BrnQ3, was attenuated for virulence. These results suggest that BCAAs are limiting in multiple niches during infection and furthers understanding of nutritional requirements of this important pathogen.