Aggregation and toxicity in bacteria of Rep-WH1 prion-like proteins from the phytopathogen Xylella fastidiosa.

Rep-WH1 proteins from Xylella fastidiosa form amyloid-like aggregates that reduce bacterial culturability and virulence in host cells.

• Why it matters: X. fastidiosa causes plant disease with no current effective eradication methods, posing a threat to crops and ecosystems worldwide. Understanding bacterial aggregation mechanisms could lead to novel control strategies.
• What they did: The study characterized Rep-WH1 domains from X. fastidiosa plasmids pXF51 and pXF64, showing their expression decreases E. coli culturability and causes distinct protein phase separations, including hydrogel formation and amyloid-like aggregates.
• The result: Findings suggest that exploiting the amyloidogenic potential of Rep proteins may offer a new approach to controlling X. fastidiosa, potentially reducing its impact on agriculture and the environment.