scholarly journals Studies on the binding of the Escherichia coli MelR transcription activator protein to operator sequences at the MelAB promoter

1992 ◽  
Vol 287 (2) ◽  
pp. 501-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Caswell ◽  
C Webster ◽  
S Busby

Escherichia coli MelR protein binds to two sites located upstream of the melAB transcription start site. Although both sites are required for optimal melibiose-dependent expression from the melAB promoter, some MelR-dependent expression is found if the upstream site is deleted or if the spacing between the two sites is altered. Gel retardation assays have been exploited to study MelR binding to a DNA fragment carrying just the upstream site. Methylation interference analysis was used to identify one guanine (at -104) which is important for MelR binding. Mutational analysis confirmed the importance of this base and revealed a second position (at -110) where mutations interfere with melAB promoter activity. Experiments using potassium permanganate as a probe suggested that the DNA sequence around -110 adopts a distorted conformation. We propose that the mutation at -104 alters MelR binding by interfering with a direct contact, whereas the mutation at -110 primarily affects DNA conformation. The binding of purified MelR protein to a melAB promoter fragment carrying both binding sites has also been studied: binding results in four retarded bands in gel assays. Methylation interference experiments have been exploited to identify the binding sites occupied in each complex. Although both binding sites share a common 18 bp sequence, MelR binding to the more upstream site is stronger. We could find no evidence for co-operative interactions between MelR and RNA polymerase and no major effects of melibiose. Some evidence for melibiose-dependent distortion in complexes between MelR and the melAB promoter is discussed.

2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (18) ◽  
pp. 5058-5066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Madrid ◽  
José M. Nieto ◽  
Sònia Paytubi ◽  
Maurizio Falconi ◽  
Claudio O. Gualerzi ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Proteins H-NS and Hha form a nucleoprotein complex that modulates expression of the thermoregulated hly operon of Escherichia coli. We have been able to identify two H-NS binding sites in the hly regulatory region. One of them partially overlaps the promoter region (site II), and the other is located about 2 kbp upstream (site I). In contrast, Hha protein did not show any preference for specific sequences. In vitro, temperature influences the affinity of H-NS for a DNA fragment containing both binding sites and H-NS-mediated repression of hly operon transcription. Deletion analysis of the hly regulatory region confirms the relevance of site I for thermoregulation of this operon. We present a model to explain the temperature-modulated repression of the hly operon, based on the experiments reported here and other, preexisting data.


2001 ◽  
Vol 183 (21) ◽  
pp. 6305-6314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine A. Hirvonen ◽  
Wilma Ross ◽  
Christopher E. Wozniak ◽  
Erin Marasco ◽  
Jennifer R. Anthony ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The high activity of the rrnB P1 promoter inEscherichia coli results from acis-acting DNA sequence, the UP element, and atrans-acting transcription factor, FIS. In this study, we examine the effects of FIS and the UP element at the other sixrrn P1 promoters. We find that UP elements are present at all of the rrn P1 promoters, but they make different relative contributions to promoter activity. Similarly, FIS binds upstream of, and activates, all seven rrn P1 promoters but to different extents. The total number of FIS binding sites, as well as their positions relative to the transcription start site, differ at each rrn P1 promoter. Surprisingly, the FIS sites upstream of site I play a much larger role in transcription from most rrn P1 promoters compared to rrnBP1. Our studies indicate that the overall activities of the sevenrrn P1 promoters are similar, and the same contributors are responsible for these high activities, but these inputs make different relative contributions and may act through slightly different mechanisms at each promoter. These studies have implications for the control of gene expression of unlinked multigene families.


2017 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel P. Kiesenhofer ◽  
Robert L. Mach ◽  
Astrid R. Mach-Aigner

ABSTRACTTrichoderma reeseican produce up to 100 g/liter of extracellular proteins. The major and industrially relevant products are cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI) and the hemicellulase XYNI. The genes encoding both enzymes are transcriptionally activated by the regulatory protein Xyr1. The first 850 nucleotides of thecbh1promoter contain 14 Xyr1-binding sites (XBS), and 8 XBS are present in thexyn1promoter. Some of these XBS are arranged in tandem and others as inverted repeats. One suchciselement, an inverted repeat, plays a crucial role in the inducibility of thexyn1promoter. We investigated the impact of the properties of suchciselements by shuffling them by insertion, exchange, deletion, and rearrangement ofciselements in both thecbh1andxyn1promoter. A promoter-reporter assay using theAspergillus nigergoxAgene allowed us to measure changes in the promoter strength and inducibility. Most strikingly, we found that an inverted repeat of XBS causes an important increase incbh1promoter strength and allows induction by xylan or wheat straw. Furthermore, evidence is provided that the distances ofciselements to the transcription start site have important influence on promoter activity. Our results suggest that the arrangement and distances ofciselements have large impacts on the strength of thecbh1promoter, whereas the sheer number of XBS has only secondary importance. Ultimately, the biotechnologically importantcbh1promoter can be improved byciselement rearrangement.IMPORTANCEIn the present study, we demonstrate that the arrangement ofciselements has a major impact on promoter strength and inducibility. We discovered an influence on promoter activity by the distances ofciselements to the transcription start site. Furthermore, we found that the configuration ofciselements has a greater effect on promoter strength than does the sheer number of transactivator binding sites present in the promoter. Altogether, the arrangement ofciselements is an important factor that should not be overlooked when enhancement of gene expression is desired.


2003 ◽  
Vol 185 (20) ◽  
pp. 5993-6004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne M. L. Barnard ◽  
Jeffrey Green ◽  
Stephen J. W. Busby

ABSTRACT FNR is an Escherichia coli transcription factor that regulates the transcription of many genes in response to anaerobiosis. We have constructed a series of artificial FNR-dependent promoters, based on the melR promoter, in which a consensus FNR binding site was centered at position −41.5 relative to the transcription start site. A second consensus FNR binding site was introduced at different upstream locations, and promoter activity was assayed in vivo. FNR can activate transcription from these promoters when the upstream FNR binding site is located at many different positions. However, sharp repression is observed when the upstream-bound FNR is located near positions −85 or −95. This repression is relieved by the FNR G74C substitution mutant, previously identified as being defective in transcription repression at the yfiD promoter. A parallel series of artificial FNR-dependent promoters, carrying a consensus FNR binding site at position −61.5 and a second upstream DNA site for FNR, was also constructed. Again, promoter activity was repressed by FNR when the upstream-bound FNR was located at particular positions.


2007 ◽  
Vol 190 (5) ◽  
pp. 1507-1517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phu Vuong ◽  
Drew Bennion ◽  
Jeremy Mantei ◽  
Danielle Frost ◽  
Rajeev Misra

ABSTRACT In Escherichia coli, YaeT, together with four lipoproteins, YfgL, YfiO, NlpB, and SmpA, forms a complex that is essential for β-barrel outer membrane protein biogenesis. Data suggest that YfgL and YfiO make direct but independent physical contacts with YaeT. Whereas the YaeT-YfiO interaction needs NlpB and SmpA for complex stabilization, the YaeT-YfgL interaction does not. Using bioinformatics, genetics, and biochemical approaches, we have identified three residues, L173, L175, and R176, in the mature YfgL protein that are critical for both function and interactions with YaeT. A single substitution at any of these sites produces no phenotypic defect, but two or three simultaneous alterations produce mild or yfgL-null phenotypes, respectively. Interestingly, biochemical data show that all YfgL variants, including those with single substitutions, have weakened in vivo YaeT-YfgL interaction. These defects are not due to mislocalization or low steady-state levels of YfgL. Cysteine-directed cross-linking data show that the region encompassing L173, L175, and R176 makes direct contact with YaeT. Using the same genetic and biochemical strategies, it was found that altering residues D227 and D229 in another region of YfgL from E221 to D229 resulted in defective YaeT bindings. In contrast, mutational analysis of conserved residues V319 to H328 of YfgL shows that they are important for YfgL biogenesis but not YfgL-YaeT interactions. The five YfgL mutants defective in YaeT associations and the yfgL background were used to show that SurA binds to YaeT (or another complex member) without going through YfgL.


2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (10) ◽  
pp. 2682-2691 ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor N. Olekhnovich ◽  
Robert J. Kadner

ABSTRACT UhpA, a member of the NarL family of response regulators, activates transcription of the Escherichia coli uhpT gene for the sugar phosphate transporter UhpT in response to extracellular glucose-6-phosphate. UhpA binds with different affinities to adjacent regions in the uhpT promoter, termed the strong-binding (S) region from −80 to −50 and the weak-binding (W) region from −50 to −32. Transcription activation by UhpA is stimulated by the catabolite gene activator protein (CAP)-cyclic AMP complex and depends on the C-terminal domains of the RNA polymerase RpoA and RpoD subunits. Because single-base substitutions in the UhpA-binding region had little effect on promoter activity, nucleotide substitutions in successive 4-bp blocks throughout this region were examined for their effects on promoter activation and UhpA binding. Changes in three of four blocks within the W region substantially impaired the ability of UhpA to bind to this region, to drive expression of a uhpT-lacZ reporter, and to support UhpA-dependent in vitro transcription. These W region variant promoters were strongly stimulated by CAP. Changes in several parts of the S region impaired UhpA binding to both the S and W regions and decreased promoter activity in vivo and in vitro. Thus, binding of UhpA to the W region is crucial for UhpA-dependent activation and depends on occupancy of the S region. None of these substitutions eliminated promoter function. The orientation of UhpA-binding sites was assessed by the affinity cleavage method. The iron chelate FeBABE [iron (S)-1-(p-bromoacetamidobenzyl) EDTA] was covalently attached to engineered cysteine residues near the DNA-binding region in UhpA. Hydroxyl radicals generated by the iron chelate attached at position 187 resulted in DNA strand cleavages in two clusters of sites located in the middle of the S and W regions. These results are consistent with the binding of two dimers of UhpA. Each dimer binds to an inverted repeat of monomer-binding sites with the consensus sequence CCTGRR, where R is A or G, and each is separated by 6 bp. It is likely that members of the NarL family bind to dyad targets, in contrast to the binding of OmpR family response regulators to direct-repeat targets.


1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 3797-3800
Author(s):  
B F Ni ◽  
R B Needleman

Maltose fermentation in Saccharomyces species requires the presence of at least one of five unlinked MAL loci: MAL1, MAL2, MAL3, MAL4, and MAL6. Each of these loci consists of a complex of genes involved in maltose metabolism; the complex includes maltase, a maltose permease, and an activator of these genes. At the MAL6 locus, the activator is encoded by the MAL63 gene. While the MAL6 locus has been the subject of numerous studies, the binding sites of the MAL63 activator have not been determined. In this study, we used Escherichia coli extracts containing the MAL63 protein to define the binding sites of the MAL63 protein in the divergently transcribed MAL61-62 promotor. When a DNA fragment containing these sites was placed upstream of a CYC1-lacZ gene, maltose induced beta-galactosidase. These sites therefore constitute an upstream activating sequence for the MAL genes.


2001 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 422-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry Reitzer ◽  
Barbara L. Schneider

SUMMARY ς54 has several features that distinguish it from other sigma factors in Escherichia coli: it is not homologous to other ς subunits, ς54-dependent expression absolutely requires an activator, and the activator binding sites can be far from the transcription start site. A rationale for these properties has not been readily apparent, in part because of an inability to assign a common physiological function for ς54-dependent genes. Surveys of ς54-dependent genes from a variety of organisms suggest that the products of these genes are often involved in nitrogen assimilation; however, many are not. Such broad surveys inevitably remove the ς54-dependent genes from a potentially coherent metabolic context. To address this concern, we consider the function and metabolic context of ς54-dependent genes primarily from a single organism, Escherichia coli, in which a reasonably complete list of ς54-dependent genes has been identified by computer analysis combined with a DNA microarray analysis of nitrogen limitation-induced genes. E. coli appears to have approximately 30 ς54-dependent operons, and about half are involved in nitrogen assimilation and metabolism. A possible physiological relationship between ς54-dependent genes may be based on the fact that nitrogen assimilation consumes energy and intermediates of central metabolism. The products of the ς54-dependent genes that are not involved in nitrogen metabolism may prevent depletion of metabolites and energy resources in certain environments or partially neutralize adverse conditions. Such a relationship may limit the number of physiological themes of ς54-dependent genes within a single organism and may partially account for the unique features of ς54 and ς54-dependent gene expression.


2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (21) ◽  
pp. 10149-10160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaya Takemoto ◽  
Takuya Shimamoto ◽  
Yuji Isegawa ◽  
Koichi Yamanishi

ABSTRACT An immediate-early (IE) gene of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), U95, has similarity at the amino acid level to the murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) IE2 gene and is related to the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) US22 gene family. Sequence analyses of U95 cDNA clones revealed that the transcription start site was located about 1.6 kbp upstream of the putative initiating ATG and that the transcript consisted of two exons. A single intron extended from nucleotides 142589 to 144229, which contained ORF U94. A protein with a molecular mass of about 120 kDa was translated from this cDNA clone in an in vitro transcription-translation assay. The transcription start site was found to be 220 bp downstream of the R3 region by primer extension analysis. HHV-6 has three repetitive elements, R1, R2, and R3, in or near the IE-A locus. R3 is composed of 24 copies of a 104- to 107-bp sequence element, which contains multiple putative binding sites for cellular transcription factors such as AP2 and NF-κB, and its biological significance has yet to be elucidated. The region between −710 and +46 relative to the transcription start site of U95 was analyzed in this study. Deletion from −710 to −396, corresponding to three copies of an R3 unit, decreased the promoter activity by 15-fold, and coexpression of IκBα(S32A/S36A) repressed it to almost the same level. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that NF-κB family members p50 and c-Rel bound to NF-κB sites derived from the R3 region. These results demonstrate that R3 strongly enhances the U95 promoter activity and that NF-κB and binding sites for NF-κB in the R3 region play an important role in its activation. Because U95 promoter activity correlated with the number of R3 units, which each contained an NF-κB site, the repetitive organization of R3 is important for regulating U95 transcription.


2003 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 941-945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Strzelczyk ◽  
Monika Słomińska-Wojewódzka ◽  
Grzegorz Wegrzyn ◽  
Alicja Wegrzyn

The SeqA protein of Escherichia coli is not only the main negative regulator of DNA replication initiation but also a specific transcription factor. It binds to hemimethylated GATC sequences and, with somewhat different specificity, to fully methylated GATC regions. Recently, a microarray analysis was reported, in which transcriptomes of wild-type and DeltaseqA strains were compared. Although in the seqA mutant the levels of some transcripts were significantly decreased while certain transcripts were evidently more abundant relative to wild-type bacteria, no correlation between the presence of GATC motifs in promoter sequences and transcription activity was found. However, here we show that when larger DNA fragments, encompassing positions from -250 to +250 relative to the transcription start site, are analyzed, some common features of GATC distribution near the promoters activated by SeqA can be demonstrated. Nevertheless, it seems that the GATC pattern is not the only determinant of SeqA-dependence of promoter activity.


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