scholarly journals Characterization of the CpxRA Regulon in Haemophilus ducreyi

2010 ◽  
Vol 78 (11) ◽  
pp. 4779-4791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Labandeira-Rey ◽  
Chad A. Brautigam ◽  
Eric J. Hansen

ABSTRACT The H aemophilus ducreyi 35000HP genome encodes a homolog of the CpxRA two-component cell envelope stress response system originally characterized in E scherichia coli. CpxR, the cytoplasmic response regulator, was shown previously to be involved in repression of the expression of the lspB-lspA2 operon (M. Labandeira-Rey, J. R. Mock, and E. J. Hansen, Infect. Immun. 77:3402-3411, 2009). In the present study, the H. ducreyi CpxR and CpxA proteins were shown to closely resemble those of other well-studied bacterial species. A cpxA deletion mutant and a CpxR-overexpressing strain were used to explore the extent of the CpxRA regulon. DNA microarray and real-time reverse transcriptase (RT) PCR analyses indicated several potential regulatory targets for the H. ducreyi CpxRA two-component regulatory system. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) were used to prove that H. ducreyi CpxR interacted with the promoter regions of genes encoding both known and putative virulence factors of H. ducreyi, including the lspB-lspA2 operon, the flp operon, and dsrA. Interestingly, the use of EMSAs also indicated that H. ducreyi CpxR did not bind to the promoter regions of several genes predicted to encode factors involved in the cell envelope stress response. Taken together, these data suggest that the CpxRA system in H. ducreyi, in contrast to that in E. coli, may be involved primarily in controlling expression of genes not involved in the cell envelope stress response.

1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (17) ◽  
pp. 5263-5272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy L. Raivio ◽  
Daniel L. Popkin ◽  
Thomas J. Silhavy

ABSTRACT In Escherichia coli, the Cpx two-component regulatory system activates expression of protein folding and degrading factors in response to misfolded proteins in the bacterial envelope (inner membrane, periplasm, and outer membrane). It is comprised of the histidine kinase CpxA and the response regulator CpxR. This response plays a role in protection from stresses, such as elevated pH, as well as in the biogenesis of virulence factors. Here, we show that the Cpx periplasmic stress response is subject to amplification and repression through positive and negative autofeedback mechanisms. Western blot and operon fusion analyses demonstrated that the cpxRA operon is autoactivated. Conditions that lead to elevated levels of phosphorylated CpxR cause a concomitant increase in transcription ofcpxRA. Conversely, overproduction of CpxP, a small, Cpx-regulated protein of previously unknown function, represses the regulon and can block activation of the pathway. This repression is dependent on an intact CpxA sensing domain. The ability to autoactivate and then subsequently repress allows for a temporary amplification of the Cpx response that may be important in rescuing cells from transitory stresses and cueing the appropriately timed elaboration of virulence factors.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan Marunga ◽  
Eunhye Goo ◽  
Yongsung Kang ◽  
Ingyu Hwang

Bacteria have specific signaling systems to overcome selective pressure, such as exposure to antibiotics. The two-component system (TCS) plays an important role in the development of antibiotic resistance. Using the rice pathogen Burkholderia glumae BGR1 as a model organism, we showed that the GluS (BGLU_1G13350) – GluR (BGLU_1G13360) TCS, consisting of a sensor kinase and response regulator, respectively, contributes to β-lactam resistance through a distinct mechanism. Inactivation of gluS or gluR conferred resistance to β-lactam antibiotics in B. glumae, whereas wild-type (WT) B. glumae was susceptible to these antibiotics. In gluS and gluR mutants, the expression of genes encoding metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) and penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) was significantly higher than in the WT. GluR-His bound to the putative promoter regions of annotated genes encoding MBL (BGLU_1G21360) and PBPs (BGLU_1G13280 and BGLU_1G04560), functioning as a repressor. These results demonstrate that the potential to attain β-lactam resistance may be genetically concealed in the TCS, in contrast to the widely accepted view of the role of TCS in antibiotic resistance. Our findings provide a new perspective on antibiotic resistance mechanisms, and suggest a different therapeutic approach for successful control of bacterial pathogens.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiao Meng ◽  
Glenn Young ◽  
Jingyu Chen

The bacterial cell envelope is a protective barrier at the frontline of bacterial interaction with the environment, and its integrity is regulated by various stress response systems. The Rcs (regulator of capsule synthesis) system, a non-orthodox two-component regulatory system (TCS) found in many members of the Enterobacteriaceae family, is one of the envelope stress response pathways. The Rcs system can sense envelope damage or defects and regulate the transcriptome to counteract stress, which is particularly important for the survival and virulence of pathogenic bacteria. In this review, we summarize the roles of the Rcs system in envelope stress responses (ESRs) and virulence regulation. We discuss the environmental and intrinsic sources of envelope stress that cause activation of the Rcs system with an emphasis on the role of RcsF in detection of envelope stress and signal transduction. Finally, the different regulation mechanisms governing the Rcs system’s control of virulence in several common pathogens are introduced. This review highlights the important role of the Rcs system in the environmental adaptation of bacteria and provides a theoretical basis for the development of new strategies for control, prevention, and treatment of bacterial infections.


2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (13) ◽  
pp. 4624-4634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika A. Pfeiler ◽  
M. Andrea Azcarate-Peril ◽  
Todd R. Klaenhammer

ABSTRACT Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM is an industrially important strain used extensively as a probiotic culture. Tolerance of the presence of bile is an attribute important to microbial survival in the intestinal tract. A whole-genome microarray was employed to examine the effects of bile on the global transcriptional profile of this strain, with the intention of elucidating genes contributing to bile tolerance. Genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism were generally induced, while genes involved in other aspects of cellular growth were mostly repressed. A 7-kb eight-gene operon encoding a two-component regulatory system (2CRS), a transporter, an oxidoreductase, and four hypothetical proteins was significantly upregulated in the presence of bile. Deletion mutations were constructed in six genes of the operon. Transcriptional analysis of the 2CRS mutants showed that mutation of the histidine protein kinase (HPK) had no effect on the induction of the operon, whereas the mutated response regulator (RR) showed enhanced induction when the cells were exposed to bile. These results indicate that the 2CRS plays a role in bile tolerance and that the operon it resides in is negatively controlled by the RR. Mutations in the transporter, the HPK, the RR, and a hypothetical protein each resulted in loss of tolerance of bile. Mutations in genes encoding another hypothetical protein and a putative oxidoreductase resulted in significant increases in bile tolerance. This functional analysis showed that the operon encoded proteins involved in both bile tolerance and bile sensitivity.


1998 ◽  
Vol 180 (20) ◽  
pp. 5421-5425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn Zientz ◽  
Johannes Bongaerts ◽  
Gottfried Unden

ABSTRACT In Escherichia coli the genes encoding the anaerobic fumarate respiratory system are transcriptionally regulated by C4-dicarboxylates. The regulation is effected by a two-component regulatory system, DcuSR, consisting of a sensory histidine kinase (DcuS) and a response regulator (DcuR). DcuS and DcuR are encoded by the dcuSR genes (previouslyyjdHG) at 93.7 min on the calculated E. coli map. Inactivation of the dcuR anddcuS genes caused the loss of C4-dicarboxylate-stimulated synthesis of fumarate reductase (frdABCD genes) and of the anaerobic fumarate-succinate antiporter DcuB (dcuB gene). DcuS is predicted to contain a large periplasmic domain as the supposed site for C4-dicarboxylate sensing. Regulation by DcuR and DcuS responded to the presence of the C4-dicarboxylates fumarate, succinate, malate, aspartate, tartrate, and maleate. Since maleate is not taken up by the bacteria under these conditions, the carboxylates presumably act from without. Genes of the aerobic C4-dicarboxylate pathway encoding succinate dehydrogenase (sdhCDAB) and the aerobic succinate carrier (dctA) are only marginally or negatively regulated by the DcuSR system. The CitAB two-component regulatory system, which is highly similar to DcuSR, had no effect on C4-dicarboxylate regulation of any of the genes.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riana Cockeran ◽  
Jenny A. Herbert ◽  
Timothy J. Mitchell ◽  
Thérèse Dix-Peek ◽  
Caroline Dickens ◽  
...  

Alterations in whole genome expression profiles following exposure of the pneumococcus (strain 172, serotype 23F) to cigarette smoke condensate (160 μg/mL) for 15 and 60 min have been determined using the TIGR4 DNA microarray chip. Exposure to CSC resulted in the significant (P<0.014–0.0006) upregulation of the genes encoding the two-component regulatory system 11 (TCS11), consisting of the sensor kinase,hk11, and its cognate response regulator,rr11, in the setting of increased biofilm formation. These effects of cigarette smoke on the pneumococcus may contribute to colonization of the airways by this microbial pathogen.


2007 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 535-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erwin G. Zoetendal ◽  
Alexandra H. Smith ◽  
Monica A. Sundset ◽  
Roderick I. Mackie

ABSTRACT The gene expression profiles of Escherichia coli strains grown anaerobically with or without Acacia mearnsii (black wattle) extract were compared to identify tannin resistance strategies. The cell envelope stress protein gene spy and the multidrug transporter-encoding operon mdtABCD, both under the control of the BaeSR two-component regulatory system, were significantly up-regulated in the presence of tannins. BaeSR mutants were more tannin sensitive than their wild-type counterparts.


2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (9) ◽  
pp. 3667-3677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandy Haines-Menges ◽  
W. Brian Whitaker ◽  
E. Fidelma Boyd

ABSTRACTVibrio parahaemolyticusis a halophile that inhabits brackish waters and a wide range of hosts, including crustaceans, fish, mollusks, and humans. In humans, it is the leading cause of bacterial seafood-borne gastroenteritis. The focus of this work was to determine the role of alternative sigma factors in the stress response ofV. parahaemolyticusRIMD2210633, an O3:K6 pandemic isolate. Bioinformatics identified five putative extracytoplasmic function (ECF) family of alternative sigma factors: VP0055, VP2210, VP2358, VP2578, and VPA1690. ECF factors typically respond to cell wall/cell envelope stress, iron levels, and the oxidation state of the cell. We have demonstrated here that one such sigma factor, VP2578, a homologue of RpoE fromEscherichia coli, is important for survival under a number of cell envelope stress conditions and in gastrointestinal colonization of a streptomycin-treated adult mouse. In this study, we determined that anrpoEdeletion mutant strain BHM2578 compared to the wild type (WT) was significantly more sensitive to polymyxin B, ethanol, and high-temperature stresses. We demonstrated that inin vivocompetition assays between therpoEmutant and the WT marked with the β-galactosidase genelacZ(WBWlacZ), the mutant strain was defective in colonization compared to the WT. In contrast, deletion of therpoSstress response regulator did not affectin vivosurvival. In addition, we examined the role of the outer membrane protein, OmpU, which inV. choleraeis proposed to be the sole activator of RpoE. We found that anompUdeletion mutant was sensitive to bile salt stress but resistant to polymyxin B stress, indicating OmpU is not essential for the cell envelope stress responses or RpoE function. Overall, these data demonstrate that RpoE is a key cell envelope stress response regulator and, similar toE. coli, RpoE may have several factors that stimulate its function.


2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (7) ◽  
pp. 2636-2645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cécile Muller ◽  
Yoann Le Breton ◽  
Thierry Morin ◽  
Abdellah Benachour ◽  
Yanick Auffray ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The Enterococcus faecalis two-component signal transduction system CroRS, also referred as the RR-HK05 pair, is required for intrinsic β-lactam resistance (Y. R. Comenge, R. Quintiliani, Jr., L. Li, L. Dubost, J. P. Brouard, J. E. Hugonnet, and M. Arthur, J. Bacteriol. 185:7184-7192, 2003) and is also suspected to be involved in the expression of salB (previously referred to as sagA), a gene important for resistance to environmental stress and cell morphology (Y. Le Breton, G. Boël, A. Benachour, H. Prévost, Y. Auffray, and A. Rincé, Environ. Microbiol. 5:329-337, 2003). In this report, we provide genetic and biochemical evidence that salB encodes a secreted protein that is expressed from a monocistronic stress-inducible operon. Consistent with CroR being a direct transcriptional activator of the salB expression, CroR was found to bind to the salB promoter region in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Interestingly, we provide evidence that SalB does not play a role in the intrinsic β-lactam resistance associated with CroRS. We also show that the CroRS system is able to regulate its own expression. The sequence of the CroRS binding site in the salB and croR promoter regions was determined using DNase I footprinting assays.


2004 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 602-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saul Burdman ◽  
Yuwei Shen ◽  
Sang-Won Lee ◽  
Qinzhong Xue ◽  
Pamela Ronald

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae is the causal agent of bacterial leaf blight, one of the most serious diseases in rice. X. oryzae pv. oryzae Philippine race 6 (PR6) strains are unable to establish infection in rice lines expressing the resistance gene Xa21. Although the pathogen-associated molecule that triggers the Xa21-mediated defense response (AvrXa21) is unknown, six rax (required for AvrXa21 activity) genes encoding proteins involved in sulfur metabolism and Type I secretion were recently identified. Here, we report on the identification of two additional rax genes, raxR and raxH, which encode a response regulator and a histidine protein kinase of two-component regulatory systems, respectively. Null mutants of PR6 strain PXO99 that are impaired in either raxR, raxH, or both cause lesions significantly longer and grow to significantly higher levels than does the wild-type strain in Xa21-rice leaves. Both raxR and raxH mutants are complemented to wild-type levels of AvrXa21 activity by introduction of expression vectors carrying raxR and raxH, respectively. These null mutants do not affect AvrXa7 and AvrXa10 activities, as observed in inoculation experiments with Xa7- and Xa10-rice lines. Western blot and raxR/gfp promoter-reporter analyses confirmed RaxR expression in X. oryzae pv. oryzae. The results of promoter-reporter studies also suggest that the previously identified raxSTAB operon is a target for RaxH/RaxR regulation. Characterization of the RaxH/RaxR system provides new opportunities for understanding the specificity of the X. oryzae pv. oryzae-Xa21 interaction and may contribute to the identification of AvrXa21.


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