Regulation of the Min Cell Division Inhibition Complex by the Rcs Phosphorelay in Proteus mirabilis
ABSTRACTA key regulator of swarming inProteus mirabilisis the Rcs phosphorelay, which repressesflhDC, encoding the master flagellar regulator FlhD4C2. Mutants inrcsB, the response regulator in the Rcs phosphorelay, hyperswarm on solid agar and differentiate into swarmer cells in liquid, demonstrating that this system also influences the expression of genes central to differentiation. To gain a further understanding of RcsB-regulated genes involved in swarmer cell differentiation, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) was used to examine the RcsB regulon. Among the 133 genes identified,minCandminD, encoding cell division inhibitors, were identified as RcsB-activated genes. A third gene,minE, was shown to be part of an operon withminCD. To examineminCDEregulation, theminpromoter was identified by 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5′-RACE), and both transcriptionallacZfusions and quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase (qRT) PCR were used to confirm that theminCDEoperon was RcsB activated. Purified RcsB was capable of directly binding theminCpromoter region. To determine the role of RcsB-mediated activation ofminCDEin swarmer cell differentiation, a polarminCmutation was constructed. This mutant formed minicells during growth in liquid, produced shortened swarmer cells during differentiation, and exhibited decreased swarming motility.IMPORTANCEThis work describes the regulation and role of the MinCDE cell division system inP. mirabilisswarming and swarmer cell elongation. Prior to this study, the mechanisms that inhibit cell division and allow swarmer cell elongation were unknown. In addition, this work outlines for the first time the RcsB regulon inP. mirabilis. Taken together, the data presented in this study begin to address howP. mirabiliselongates upon contact with a solid surface.