scholarly journals RbsR Activates Capsule but Represses therbsUDKOperon in Staphylococcus aureus

2015 ◽  
Vol 197 (23) ◽  
pp. 3666-3675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei G. Lei ◽  
Chia Y. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Virulence Factor ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Promoter Region ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Virulence Regulation ◽  
Important Virulence Factor ◽  
Dna Fragment ◽  
Mobility Shift Assay

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureuscapsule is an important virulence factor that is regulated by a large number of regulators. Capsule genes are expressed from a major promoter upstream of thecapoperon. A 10-bp inverted repeat (IR) located 13 bp upstream of the −35 region of the promoter was previously shown to affect capsule gene transcription. However, little is known about transcriptional activation of thecappromoter. To search for potential proteins which directly interact with thecappromoter region (Pcap), we directly analyzed the proteins interacting with the PcapDNA fragment from shifted gel bands identified by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. One of these regulators, RbsR, was further characterized and found to positively regulatecapgene expression by specifically binding to thecappromoter region. Footprinting analyses showed that RbsR protected a DNA region encompassing the 10-bp IR. Our results further showed thatrbsRwas directly controlled by SigB and that RbsR was a repressor of therbsUDKoperon, involved in ribose uptake and phosphorylation. The repression ofrbsUDKby RbsR could be derepressed byd-ribose. However,d-ribose did not affect RbsR activation of capsule.IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureusis an important human pathogen which produces a large number of virulence factors. We have been using capsule as a model virulence factor to study virulence regulation. Although many capsule regulators have been identified, the mechanism of regulation of most of these regulators is unknown. We show here that RbsR activates capsule by direct promoter binding and that SigB is required for the expression ofrbsR. These results define a new pathway wherein SigB activates capsule through RbsR. Our results further demonstrate that RbsR inhibits therbsoperon involved in ribose utilization, thereby providing an example of coregulation of metabolism and virulence inS. aureus. Thus, this study further advances our understanding of staphylococcal virulence regulation.

scholarly journals MgrA Activates Staphylococcal Capsule via SigA-Dependent Promoter

2020 ◽  
Vol 203 (2) ◽  
pp. e00495-20
Author(s):  
Mei G. Lei ◽  
Chia Y. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Gene Regulation ◽  
Virulence Factor ◽  
Virulence Gene ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Regulatory Pathways ◽  
Mobility Shift Assay ◽  
Virulence Gene Regulation

ABSTRACTStaphylococcus aureus capsule polysaccharide is an important antiphagocytic virulence factor. The cap genes are regulated at the promoter element (Pcap) upstream of the cap operon. Pcap, which consists of a dominant SigB-dependent promoter and a weaker upstream SigA-dependent promoter, is activated by global regulator MgrA. How MgrA activates capsule is unclear. Here, we showed that MgrA directly bound to the Pcap region and affected the SigA-dependent promoter. Interestingly, an electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that MgrA bound to a large region of Pcap, mainly downstream of the SigA-dependent promoter. We further showed that the ArlRS two-component system and the Agr quorum sensing system activated capsule primarily through MgrA in the early growth phases.IMPORTANCE The virulence of Staphylococcus aureus depends on the expression of various virulence factors, which is governed by a complex regulatory network. We have been using capsule as a model virulence factor to study virulence gene regulation in S. aureus. MgrA is one of the regulators of capsule and has a major effect on capsule production. However, how MgrA regulates capsule genes is not understood. In this study, we were able to define the mechanism involving MgrA regulation of capsule. In addition, we also delineated the role of MgrA in capsule regulatory pathways involving the key virulence regulators Agr and Arl. This study further advances our understanding of virulence gene regulation in S. aureus, an important human pathogen.

scholarly journals VraR Binding to the Promoter Region of agr Inhibits Its Function in Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) and Heterogeneous VISA

2017 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanyuan Dai ◽  
Wenjiao Chang ◽  
Changcheng Zhao ◽  
Jing Peng ◽  
Liangfei Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Promoter Region ◽  
Reference Strain ◽  
Vancomycin Resistance ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Promoter Sequences ◽  
Dnase I Footprinting ◽  
Resistant Strains ◽  
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays

ABSTRACT Acquisition of vancomycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus is often accompanied by a reduction in virulence, but the mechanisms underlying this change remain unclear. The present study was undertaken to investigate this process in a clinical heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (hVISA) strain, 10827; an hVISA reference strain, Mu3; and a VISA reference strain, Mu50, along with their respective series of vancomycin-induced resistant strains. In these strains, increasing MICs of vancomycin were associated with increased expression of the vancomycin resistance-associated regulator gene (vraR) and decreased expression of virulence genes (hla, hlb, and coa) and virulence-regulated genes (RNAIII, agrA, and saeR). These results suggested that VraR might have a direct or indirect effect on virulence in S. aureus. In electrophoretic mobility shift assays, VraR did not bind to promoter sequences of hla, hlb, and coa genes, but it did bind to the agr promoter region. In DNase I footprinting assays, VraR protected a 15-nucleotide (nt) sequence in the intergenic region between the agr P2 and P3 promoters. These results indicated that when S. aureus is subject to induction by vancomycin, expression of vraR is upregulated, and VraR binding inhibits the function of the Agr quorum-sensing system, causing reductions in the virulence of VISA/hVISA strains. Our results suggested that VraR in S. aureus is involved not only in the regulation of vancomycin resistance but also in the regulation of virulence.

scholarly journals Nucleotides Critical for the Interaction of the Streptococcus pyogenes Mga Virulence Regulator with Mga-Regulated Promoter Sequences

2012 ◽  
Vol 194 (18) ◽  
pp. 4904-4919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lara L. Hause ◽  
Kevin S. McIver
Keyword(s):  
Binding Site ◽  
Streptococcus Pyogenes ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Promoter Sequences ◽  
Mobility Shift Assay

ABSTRACTThe Mga regulator ofStreptococcus pyogenesdirectly activates the transcription of a core regulon that encodes virulence factors such as M protein (emm), C5a peptidase (scpA), and streptococcal inhibitor of complement (sic) by directly binding to a 45-bp binding site as determined by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and DNase I protection. However, by comparing the nucleotide sequences of all established Mga binding sites, we found that they exhibit only 13.4% identity with no discernible symmetry. To determine the core nucleotides involved in functional Mga-DNA interactions, the M1T1 Pemm1binding site was altered and screened for nucleotides important for DNA bindingin vitroand for transcriptional activation using a plasmid-based luciferase reporterin vivo. Following this analysis, 34 nucleotides within the Pemm1binding site that had an effect on Mga binding, Mga-dependent transcriptional activation, or both were identified. Of these critical nucleotides, guanines and cytosines within the major groove were disproportionately identified clustered at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the binding site and with runs of nonessential adenines between the critical nucleotides. On the basis of these results, a Pemm1minimal binding site of 35 bp bound Mga at a level comparable to the level of binding of the larger 45-bp site. Comparison of Pemmwith directed mutagenesis performed in the M1T1 Mga-regulated PscpAand Psicpromoters, as well as methylation interference analysis of PscpA, establish that Mga binds to DNA in a promoter-specific manner.

scholarly journals Mechanism of Reduced Vancomycin Susceptibility Conferred bywalKMutation in Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strain MW2

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 1352-1355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinfeng Hu ◽  
Xu Zhang ◽  
Xiaoyu Liu ◽  
Chuan Chen ◽  
Baolin Sun
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Aureus Strain ◽  
Cell Wall Metabolism ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Autolytic Activity ◽  
Mobility Shift Assay

ABSTRACTPoint mutations with unclear molecular mechanisms are often associated with vancomycin resistance inStaphylococcus aureus. Here, we observed that thewalK(G223D) mutation caused decreased expression of genes associated with cell wall metabolism, decreased autolytic activity, thickened cell walls, and reduced vancomycin susceptibility. A phosphorylation assay showed that WalK (G223D) exhibited reduced autophosphorylation, which led to reduced phosphorylation of WalR. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay indicated that WalK (G223D)-phosphorylated WalR had a reduced capacity to bind to theatlApromoter.

scholarly journals CidR and CcpA Synergistically Regulate Staphylococcus aureus cidABC Expression

2019 ◽  
Vol 201 (23) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marat R. Sadykov ◽  
Ian H. Windham ◽  
Todd J. Widhelm ◽  
Vijaya Kumar Yajjala ◽  
Sean M. Watson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Carbon Metabolism ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Transcriptional Regulators ◽  
Extracellular Dna ◽  
Regulatory Control ◽  
Pcr Analysis ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Biofilm Development

ABSTRACT The death and lysis of a subpopulation of Staphylococcus aureus cells during biofilm development benefit the whole bacterial population through the release of an important component of the biofilm matrix, extracellular DNA. Previously, we have demonstrated that these processes are affected by the gene products of the cidABC operon, the expression of which is controlled by the LysR-type transcriptional regulator, CidR. In this study, we characterized cis- and trans-acting elements essential for the induction of the cidABC operon. In addition to a CidR-binding site located within the cidABC promoter region, sequence analysis revealed the presence of a putative catabolite responsive element (cre box), suggestive of the involvement of the catabolite control protein A (CcpA) in the regulation of cidABC expression. This was confirmed using electrophoretic mobility shift assays and real-time reverse transcriptase PCR analysis demonstrating the direct positive control of cidABC transcription by the master regulator of carbon metabolism. Furthermore, the importance of CcpA and the identified cre site for the induction of the cidABC operon was demonstrated by examining the expression of PcidABC-lacZ reporter fusions in various mutant strains in which the genes involved in carbon metabolism and carbon catabolite repression were disrupted. Together the results of this study demonstrate the necessity of both transcriptional regulators, CidR and CcpA, for the induction of the cidABC operon and reveal the complexity of molecular interactions controlling its expression. IMPORTANCE This work focuses on the characterization of cis- and trans-acting elements essential for the induction of the cidABC operon in S. aureus. The results of this study are the first to demonstrate the synergistic control of cidABC expression by transcriptional regulators CidR and CcpA during carbohydrate metabolism. We established that the full induction of cidABC expression depends on the metabolic state of bacteria and requires both CidR and CcpA. Together, these findings delineate regulatory control of cidABC expression under different metabolic conditions and provide important new insights into our understanding of cell death mechanisms during biofilm development in S. aureus.

scholarly journals Transcriptional activation of the H-ferritin gene in differentiated Caco-2 cells parallels a change in the activity of the nuclear factor Bbf

1995 ◽  
Vol 311 (3) ◽  
pp. 769-773 ◽  
Author(s):  
M A Bevilacqua ◽  
M C Faniello ◽  
P D′Agostino ◽  
B Quaresima ◽  
M T Tiano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Differentiated Cells ◽  
Binding Factor ◽  
H Gene ◽  
Ferritin Gene ◽  
Mobility Shift Assay ◽  
Promoter Interaction

In this paper, we examine the mechanisms that regulate the expression of the heavy (H) ferritin subunit in the colon carcinoma Caco-2 cell line allowed to differentiate spontaneously in vitro. The differentiation process of these cells in continuous culture is accompanied by an accumulation of the mRNA coding for the apoferritin H chain. The analysis of Caco-2 subclones stably transfected with an H-chain promoter-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) construct revealed that the mRNA increase is paralleled by an enhanced transcription of the H gene, driven by the -100 to +4 region of the H promoter. The H gene transcriptional activation seems to be a specific feature of differentiated Caco-2 cells, since the activity of other promoters did not change upon differentiation. The -100 to +4 region of the H promoter binds a transcription factor called Bbf (B-box binding factor); electrophoretic-mobility-shift-assay analyses showed that the retarded complex due to Bbf-H promoter interaction is significantly increased in the differentiated cells. We propose that the activation of H-ferritin gene expression may be associated with the establishment of a differentiated phenotype in Caco-2 cells, and that the H-ferritin gene transcriptional up-regulation is accompanied by a modification in the activity of the transcription factor Bbf.

scholarly journals Involvement of PatE, a Prophage-Encoded AraC-Like Regulator, in the Transcriptional Activation of Acid Resistance Pathways of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Strain EDL933

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (15) ◽  
pp. 5083-5092 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer K. Bender ◽  
Judyta Praszkier ◽  
Matthew J. Wakefield ◽  
Kathryn Holt ◽  
Marija Tauschek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Acid Resistance ◽  
Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia Coli ◽  
Transcriptional Analysis ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Infectious Dose ◽  
Genes Encoding

ABSTRACTEnterohemorrhagicEscherichia coli(EHEC) O157:H7 is a lethal human intestinal pathogen that causes hemorrhagic colitis and the hemolytic-uremic syndrome. EHEC is transmitted by the fecal-oral route and has a lower infectious dose than most other enteric bacterial pathogens in that fewer than 100 CFU are able to cause disease. This low infectious dose has been attributed to the ability of EHEC to survive in the acidic environment of the human stomach.In silicoanalysis of the genome of EHEC O157:H7 strain EDL933 revealed a gene,patE, for a putative AraC-like regulatory protein within the prophage island, CP-933H. Transcriptional analysis inE. colishowed that the expression ofpatEis induced during stationary phase. Data from microarray assays demonstrated that PatE activates the transcription of genes encoding proteins of acid resistance pathways. In addition, PatE downregulated the expression of a number of genes encoding heat shock proteins and the type III secretion pathway of EDL933. Transcriptional analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assays suggested that PatE also activates the transcription of the gene for the acid stress chaperonehdeAby binding to its promoter region. Finally, assays of acid tolerance showed that increasing the expression of PatE in EHEC greatly enhanced the ability of the bacteria to survive in different acidic environments. Together, these findings indicate that EHEC strain EDL933 carries a prophage-encoded regulatory system that contributes to acid resistance.

scholarly journals The pH-Dependent Expression of the Urease Operon in Streptococcus salivarius Is Mediated by CodY

2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (17) ◽  
pp. 5386-5393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Szu-Chuan Huang ◽  
Robert A. Burne ◽  
Yi-Ywan M. Chen
Keyword(s):  
Transcriptional Level ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Streptococcus Salivarius ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Direct Binding ◽  
Mobility Shift Assay ◽  
Growth Ph ◽  
Recent Sequencing

ABSTRACTUrease gene expression inStreptococcus salivarius57.I, a strain of one of the major alkali producers in the mouth, is induced by acidic pH and excess amounts of carbohydrate. Expression is controlled primarily at the transcriptional level from a promoter, pureI. Recent sequencing analysis revealed a CodY box located 2 bases 5′ to the −35 element of pureI. Using continuous chemostat culture, transcription from pureIwas shown to be repressed by CodY, and at pH 7 the repression was more pronounced than that in cells grown at pH 5.5 under both 20 and 100 mM glucose. The direct binding of CodY to pureIwas demonstrated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)–quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The result of ChIP-qPCR also confirmed that the regulation of CodY is indeed modulated by pH and the binding of CodY at neutral pH is further enhanced by a limited supply of glucose (20 mM). In the absence of CodY, the C-terminal domain of the RNA polymerase (RNAP) α subunit interacted with the AT tracks within the CodY box, indicating that CodY and RNAP compete for the same binding region. Such regulation could ensure optimal urease expression when the enzyme is most required, i.e., at an acidic growth pH with an excess amount of carbon nutrients.

scholarly journals Repression of Capsule Production by XdrA and CodY inStaphylococcus aureus

2018 ◽  
Vol 200 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei G. Lei ◽  
Chia Y. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Regulatory Network ◽  
Promoter Region ◽  
Virulence Genes ◽  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Capsule Production ◽  
Complex Regulatory Network ◽  
Broad Region

ABSTRACTCapsule is one of many virulence factors produced byStaphylococcus aureus, and its expression is highly regulated. Here, we report the repression of capsule by direct interaction of XdrA and CodY with the capsule promoter region. We found, by footprinting analyses, that XdrA repressed capsule by binding to a broad region that extended from upstream of the −35 region of the promoter to the coding region ofcapA, the first gene of the 16-genecapoperon. Footprinting analyses also revealed that CodY bound to a large region that overlapped extensively with that of XdrA. We found that repression of thecapgenes in thexdrAmutant could be achieved by the overexpression ofcodYbut not vice versa, suggestingcodYis epistatic toxdrA. However, we found XdrA had no effect on CodY expression. These results suggest that XdrA plays a secondary role in capsule regulation by promoting CodY repression of thecapgenes. Oxacillin slightly inducedxdrAexpression and reducedcappromoter activity, but the effect of oxacillin on capsule was not mediated through XdrA.IMPORTANCEStaphylococcus aureusemploys a complex regulatory network to coordinate the expression of various virulence genes to achieve successful infections. How virulence genes are coordinately regulated is still poorly understood. We have been studying capsule regulation as a model system to explore regulatory networking inS. aureus. In this study, we found that XdrA and CodY have broad binding sites that overlap extensively in the capsule promoter region. Our results also suggest that XdrA assists CodY in the repression of capsule. As capsule gene regulation by DNA-binding regulators has not been fully investigated, the results presented here fill an important knowledge gap, thereby further advancing our understanding of the global virulence regulatory network inS. aureus.

scholarly journals Transcriptional Activation of Multiple Operons Involved inpara-Nitrophenol Degradation by Pseudomonas sp. Strain WBC-3

2014 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 220-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-Mao Zhang ◽  
Jun-Jie Zhang ◽  
Xuan Jiang ◽  
Hongjun Chao ◽  
Ning-Yi Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Transcriptional Activation ◽  
Transcriptional Regulator ◽  
Pseudomonas Sp ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Affinity ◽  
Dnase I Footprinting ◽  
Nitrophenol Degradation ◽  
Transcriptional Start Sites ◽  
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays

ABSTRACTPseudomonassp. strain WBC-3 utilizespara-nitrophenol (PNP) as a sole carbon and energy source. The genes involved in PNP degradation are organized in the following three operons:pnpA,pnpB, andpnpCDEFG. How the expression of the genes is regulated is unknown. In this study, an LysR-type transcriptional regulator (LTTR) is identified to activate the expression of the genes in response to the specific inducer PNP. While the LTTR coding genepnpRwas found to be not physically linked to any of the three catabolic operons, it was shown to be essential for the growth of strain WBC-3 on PNP. Furthermore, PnpR positively regulated its own expression, which is different from the function of classical LTTRs. A regulatory binding site (RBS) with a 17-bp imperfect palindromic sequence (GTT-N11-AAC) was identified in allpnpA,pnpB,pnpC, andpnpRpromoters. Through electrophoretic mobility shift assays and mutagenic analyses, this motif was proven to be necessary for PnpR binding. This consensus motif is centered at positions approximately −55 bp relative to the four transcriptional start sites (TSSs). RBS integrity was required for both high-affinity PnpR binding and transcriptional activation ofpnpA,pnpB, andpnpR. However, this integrity was essential only for high-affinity PnpR binding to the promoter ofpnpCDEFGand not for its activation. Intriguingly, unlike other LTTRs studied, no changes in lengths of the PnpR binding regions of thepnpAandpnpBpromoters were observed after the addition of the inducer PNP in DNase I footprinting.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document