scholarly journals Starvation for Different Nutrients in Escherichia coli Results in Differential Modulation of RpoS Levels and Stability

2005 ◽  
Vol 187 (2) ◽  
pp. 434-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark J. Mandel ◽  
Thomas J. Silhavy

ABSTRACT Levels of RpoS increase upon glucose starvation in Escherichia coli, which leads to the transcription of genes whose products combat a variety of stresses. RpoS stability is a key level of control in this process, as SprE (RssB)-mediated degradation is inhibited under glucose starvation. Starvation for ammonia or phosphate also results in increased stress resistance and induction of RpoS-dependent genes. However, we demonstrate that RpoS levels following ammonia starvation are only slightly increased compared to growing cells and are 10-fold below the levels observed under glucose or phosphate limitation. This difference is largely due to regulated proteolysis of RpoS, as its stability in ammonia-starved cells is intermediate between that in logarithmic-phase cells and glucose-starved cells. Use of an rpoS construct that is devoid of the gene's native transcriptional and translational control regions reveals that stability differences are sufficient to explain the different levels of RpoS observed in logarithmic phase, ammonia starvation, and glucose starvation. Under phosphate starvation, however, rpoS translation is increased. The cellular response to nutrient limitation is much more complex than previously appreciated, as there is not simply one response that is activated by starvation for any essential nutrient. Our data support the hypothesis that SprE activity is the key level at which ammonia and glucose starvation signals are transmitted to RpoS, and they suggest that carbon source and/or energy limitation are necessary for full inactivation of the SprE pathway.

Genetics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 148 (4) ◽  
pp. 1599-1610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley T Smith ◽  
Graham C Walker

Abstract The cellular response to DNA damage that has been most extensively studied is the SOS response of Escherichia coli. Analyses of the SOS response have led to new insights into the transcriptional and posttranslational regulation of processes that increase cell survival after DNA damage as well as insights into DNA-damage-induced mutagenesis, i.e., SOS mutagenesis. SOS mutagenesis requires the recA and umuDC gene products and has as its mechanistic basis the alteration of DNA polymerase III such that it becomes capable of replicating DNA containing miscoding and noncoding lesions. Ongoing investigations of the mechanisms underlying SOS mutagenesis, as well as recent observations suggesting that the umuDC operon may have a role in the regulation of the E. coli cell cycle after DNA damage has occurred, are discussed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 2089-2103 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Wutzler ◽  
M. Reichstein

Abstract. Interactions between different qualities of soil organic matter (SOM) affecting their turnover are rarely represented in models. In this study, we propose three mathematical strategies at different levels of abstraction to represent those interactions. By implementing these strategies into the Introductory Carbon Balance Model (ICBM) and applying them to several scenarios of litter input, we show that the different levels of abstraction are applicable at different timescales. We present a simple one-parameter equation of substrate limitation that can straightforwardly be implemented into other models of SOM dynamics at decadal timescale. The study demonstrates how substrate quality interactions can explain patterns of priming effects, accelerate turnover in FACE experiments, and the slowdown of decomposition in long-term bare fallow experiments as an effect of energy limitation of microbial biomass. The mechanisms of those interactions need to be further scrutinized empirically for a more complete understanding. Overall, substrate quality interactions contribute to both understanding and quantitatively modelling SOM dynamics.


1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 586-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Marcucci ◽  
F Gigliani ◽  
P A Battaglia ◽  
R Bosi ◽  
E Sporeno ◽  
...  

The pR plasmid, which enhances the survival of Escherichia coli C600 exposed to UV light by induction of the SOS regulatory mechanism, showed the same effect when it transformed mouse LTA cells (tk-, aprt-). With Tn5 insertion mutagenesis which inactivates UV functions in the pR plasmid, we recognized two different regions of the plasmid, uvp1 and uvp2. These pR UVR- mutants exhibited the same effect in LTA transformed cells, demonstrating that resistance to UV light, carried by the pR plasmid, was really due to the expression of these two regions, which were also in the mouse cells. Statistical analysis showed that the expression of the uvp1 and uvp2 regions significantly increased (P less than 0.01) the survival upon exposure to UV light in mouse cells and bacteria. These results might suggest the presence of an inducible repair response to DNA damage in mouse LTA cells.


2001 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 737-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles B Bird ◽  
Rebecca J Hoerner ◽  
Lawrence Restaino ◽  
G Anderson ◽  
W Birbari ◽  
...  

Abstract Four different food types along with environmental swabs were analyzed by the Reveal for E. coli O157:H7 test (Reveal) and the Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) culture method for the presence of Escherichia coli O157:H7. Twenty-seven laboratories representing academia and private industry in the United States and Canada participated. Sample types were inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 at 2 different levels. Of the 1095 samples and controls analyzed and confirmed, 459 were positive and 557 were negative by both methods. No statistical differences (p <0.05) were observed between the Reveal and BAM methods.


2012 ◽  
Vol 260-261 ◽  
pp. 1017-1021
Author(s):  
Xin Ying Wang ◽  
Yong Tao Liu ◽  
Min Hui ◽  
Ji Fei Xu

Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis as objects of the study, ultrasonic fragmentation acted on the bacterial cells in different growth stages, results showed that, it’s similar to the crushing effect of ultrasound on E. coli and B. subtilis cells of different growth stages, the highest crushing rate in the logarithmic phase, reached to 95.8% and 94.3% respectively, the crushing rate of adjustment phase is lowest, maintained at around 60%, the crushing rate stability cell was centered, which can be achieved 90%. The structure of the bacterial cell wall didn’t the main factor to decide the ultrasonic fragmentation effect, but different growth periods of bacterial cells did the determinant.


2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (6) ◽  
pp. 2359-2368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yusuke Terui ◽  
Kyohei Higashi ◽  
Shiho Taniguchi ◽  
Ai Shigemasa ◽  
Kazuhiro Nishimura ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Proteins whose synthesis is enhanced by polyamines at the level of translation were identified in a polyamine-requiring mutant cultured in the presence of 0.1% glucose and 0.02% glutamate instead of 0.4% glucose as an energy source. Under these conditions, enhancement of cell growth by polyamines was almost the same as that in the presence of 0.4% glucose. It was found that synthesis of RpoN, Cra, and H-NS was enhanced by polyamines at the level of translation at the early logarithmic phase of growth (A 540 of 0.15). The effects of polyamines on synthesis of RpoN, H-NS, and Cra were due to the existence of unusual Shine-Dalgarno sequences (RpoN and H-NS) and an inefficient GUG initiation codon (Cra) in their mRNAs. Thus, rpoN, cra, and hns genes were identified as new members of the polyamine modulon. Because most of the polyamine modulon genes thus far identified encode transcription factors (RpoS [σ38], Cya, FecI [σ18], Fis, RpoN [σ54], Cra, and H-NS), DNA microarray analysis of mRNA expressed in cells was performed. At the early logarithmic phase of growth, a total of 97 species of mRNAs that were up-regulated by polyamines more than twofold were under the control of seven polyamine modulon genes mentioned above.


2001 ◽  
Vol 64 (8) ◽  
pp. 1145-1150 ◽  
Author(s):  
NAVEEN CHIKTHIMMAH ◽  
RAMASWAMY C. ANANTHESWARAN ◽  
ROBERT F. ROBERTS ◽  
EDWARD W. MILLS ◽  
STEPHEN J. KNABEL

Due to undesirable quality changes, Lebanon bologna is often processed at temperatures that do not exceed 48.8°C (120°F). Therefore, it is important to study parameters that influence the destruction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Lebanon bologna. The objective of the present study was to determine the influence of curing salts (NaCl and NaNO2) on the destruction of E. coli O157:H7 during Lebanon bologna processing. Fermentation to pH 4.7 at 37.7°C reduced populations of E. coli O157:H7 by approximately 0.3 log10, either in the presence or absence of curing salts. Subsequent destruction of E. coli O157:H7 during heating of fermented product to 46.1°C was significantly reduced by the presence of 3.5% NaCl and 156 ppm NaNO2, compared to product without curing salts (P < 0.01). The presence of a higher level of NaCl (5%) in Lebanon bologna inhibited the growth of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which yielded product with higher pH (~5.0) and significantly reduced the destruction of E. coli O157:H7 even further (P < 0.05). Lower concentrations of NaCl (0, 2.5%) yielded Lebanon bologna with higher LAB counts and lower pHs, compared to product with 5% NaCl. When lactic acid was used to adjust pH in product containing different levels of NaCl, it was determined that low pH was directly influencing destruction of E. coli O157:H7, not NaCl concentration.


2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (12) ◽  
pp. 4346-4352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huabao Zheng ◽  
Xuan Wang ◽  
Lorraine P. Yomano ◽  
Keelnatham T. Shanmugam ◽  
Lonnie O. Ingram

ABSTRACTFurfural is an inhibitory side product formed during the depolymerization of hemicellulose by mineral acids. Genomic libraries from three different bacteria (Bacillus subtilisYB886,Escherichia coliNC3, andZymomonas mobilisCP4) were screened for genes that conferred furfural resistance on plates. Beneficial plasmids containing thethyAgene (coding for thymidylate synthase) were recovered from all three organisms. Expression of this key gene in thede novopathway for dTMP biosynthesis improved furfural resistance on plates and during fermentation. A similar benefit was observed by supplementation with thymine, thymidine, or the combination of tetrahydrofolate and serine (precursors for 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate, the methyl donor for ThyA). Supplementation with deoxyuridine provided a small benefit, and deoxyribose was of no benefit for furfural tolerance. A combination of thymidine and plasmid expression ofthyAwas no more effective than either alone. Together, these results demonstrate that furfural tolerance is increased by approaches that increase the supply of pyrimidine deoxyribonucleotides. However, ThyA activity was not directly affected by the addition of furfural. Furfural has been previously shown to damage DNA inE. coliand to activate a cellular response to oxidative damage in yeast. The added burden of repairing furfural-damaged DNA inE. coliwould be expected to increase the cellular requirement for dTMP. Increased expression ofthyA(E. coli,B. subtilis, orZ. mobilis), supplementation of cultures with thymidine, and supplementation with precursors for 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate (methyl donor) are each proposed to increase furfural tolerance by increasing the availability of dTMP for DNA repair.


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