Transcriptional Regulation of the Heterocyst Patterning Gene patA from Anabaena sp. Strain PCC 7120

ABSTRACT The filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 forms a periodic pattern of nitrogen-fixing heterocysts when grown in the absence of combined nitrogen. PatA is necessary for proper patterning of heterocysts along filaments. In this study, apparent transcriptional start points (tsps) were identified at nucleotides −305, −614, and −645 relative to the translational start site (−305, −614, and −645 tsps). Transcriptional reporter fusions were used to show that transcription from the −305 tsp was induced in all cells of filaments in response to nitrogen deprivation, required hetR for induction, and increased in a patA mutant. Transcription from −614/−645 tsp reporter fusions was spatially regulated and occurred primarily in cells that would become heterocysts. Complementation of a patA mutant strain by alleles encoding substitutions in, or deletion of, the putative phosphoacceptor C-terminal domain indicates that the PATAN domain can function independently of the C-terminal domain of PatA. Localization of a ring of PatA-GFP at sites of cell division, as well as the formation of enlarged cells with altered cell morphology when patA was overexpressed, suggests that PatA may participate in cell division.

The Nonmevalonate Pathway of Isoprenoid Biosynthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Is Essential and Transcriptionally Regulated by Dxs

ABSTRACT Mycobacterium tuberculosis synthesizes isoprenoids via the nonmevalonate or DOXP pathway. Previous work demonstrated that three enzymes in the pathway (Dxr, IspD, and IspF) are all required for growth in vitro. We demonstrate the essentiality of the key genes dxs1 and gcpE, confirming that the pathway is of central importance and that the second homolog of the synthase (dxs2) cannot compensate for the loss of dxs1. We looked at the effect of overexpression of Dxr, Dxs1, Dxs2, and GcpE on viability and on growth in M. tuberculosis. Overexpression of dxs1 or dxs2 was inhibitory to growth, whereas overexpression of dxr or gcpE was not. Toxicity is likely to be, at least partially, due to depletion of pyruvate from the cells. Overexpression of dxs1 or gcpE resulted in increased flux through the pathway, as measured by accumulation of the metabolite 4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate. We identified the functional translational start site and promoter region for dxr and demonstrated that it is expressed as part of a polycistronic mRNA with gcpE and two other genes. Increased expression of this operon was seen in cells overexpressing Dxs1, indicating that transcriptional control is effected by the first enzyme of the pathway via an unknown regulator.

Mechanisms for Transcriptional Activation of the Human Activated Leukocyte Cell Adhesion Molecule Gene and Its Silencing by Immunosuppressive Toxins.

Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM/CD166) is a member of the immunoglobulin super-family. It is expressed on the surfaces of activated monocytes, dendritic cells and macrophages. These immune cells use ALCAM through homotypic and heterotypic adhesions to control multiple stages in the inflammatory response. Indeed, anti-ALCAM antibodies and recombinant soluble ALCAM significantly inhibit monocyte transendothelial migration, stabilization of the immunological synapse and dendritic cell-mediated T-lymphocyte proliferation. Despite this significance, there is currently no understanding of how the human ALCAM gene is regulated. In this study, we identified the mechanisms for transcription, basal transcriptional activation and immunosuppressive silencing of the ALCAM gene. A common site for transcription of the ALCAM gene was identified 350 base pairs (bp) upstream from the translational start site. Multiple truncated fragments of the ALCAM promoter was cloned from genomic DNA and sub-cloned upstream of a promoterless luciferase vector. A proximal 650-bp promoter sequence conferred tissue-independent activation in hematopoietic, epithelial and endothelial cells. A canonical Sp1 binding sequence at −550 upstream of the translational start site was mapped within this proximal positive regulatory promoter region. Site-directed mutagenesis revealed this sequence was essential for optimum ALCAM promoter activity. Importantly, Sp1 occupied the cognate sequence in vivo as determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Over-expression of Sp1 significantly increased ALCAM promoter activity whereas a control expression vector had no impact. DNA sequences in the interval −600 to −800 negatively influenced promoter activity in a tissue-specific manner. This region contained a putative binding sequence for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr), which highlighted ALCAM as a potential target of the immunosuppressing ligand dioxin. This hypothesis was tested by examination of whether ALCAM activation is blocked by 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in monocytes differentiating into macrophages and dendritic cells. Expression of ALCAM was increased 3–5-fold in HL-60 and THP-1 monocytes treated with the differentiating agent phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. TCDD dose dependently blocked this activation, indeed, the highest concentration of TCDD (25 nM) used in this study completely blocked ALCAM activation in both monocytic cells. In conclusion, we have unveiled for the first time, the molecular basis for transcription and basal trans-activation of the human ALCAM gene, and identified the Ahr-pathway as a powerful silencer of ALCAM gene activation. Further studies of the ALCAM promoter, may clarify how this gene is up-regulated as part of the inflammatory response, and how it is silenced by immunotoxins. Heterologous expression of ALCAM may be a potential strategy to mitigate the immunosuppressive effects of dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Differential Expression and Transcriptional Analysis of the α-2,3-Sialyltransferase Gene in Pathogenic Neisseria spp.

ABSTRACT α-2,3-Sialyltransferase (Lst) is expressed on the outer membrane of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis and sialylates surface lipooligosaccharide (LOS), facilitating resistance to complement-mediated killing. The enzyme is constitutively expressed from a single gene (lst) and does not undergo antigenic or phase variation. We observed that Triton X-100 extracts of N. gonorrhoeae strain F62 contain about fivefold more sialyltransferase (Stase) activity than extracts of N. meningitidis strain MC58 ⊄3 a serogroup B acapsulate mutant. We confirmed and expanded upon this observation by showing that extracts of 16 random N. gonorrhoeae isolates contain various amounts of Stase activity, but, on average, 2.2-fold-more Stase activity than extracts of 16 N. meningitidis clinical isolates, representing several serogroups and nongroupable strains. Northern and real-time reverse transcription-PCR analysis of lst transcript levels in N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis revealed that N. gonorrhoeae strains express more lst transcript than N. meningitidis strains. Although transcript levels correlate with average Stase activity observed in the two species, there was not a direct correlation between lst transcript levels and Stase activity among individual isolates of each species. Comparison of lst upstream (5′lst) regions of N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis revealed striking sequence differences characteristic of the two pathogens. N. gonorrhoeae 5′lst regions possess 30-bp and 13-bp elements present as single elements or as tandem repeats that exist only as single elements in the 5′lst regions of N. meningitidis isolates. In addition, the 5′lst regions of N. meningitidis strains have 105-bp transposon-like Correia elements which are absent in N. gonorrhoeae. Chromosomal N. gonorrhoeae 5′lst::lacZ translational fusions expressed 4.75 ± 0.09-fold (n = 4) higher β-galactosidase (β-gal) activity than N. meningitidis 5′lst::lacZ fusions in a host-independent manner, indicating differential expression is governed at least in part by sequence variations in the 5′lst regions. Reporter fusion assays and promoter-mapping analysis revealed that N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis use different promoters with different strengths to transcribe lst. In N. gonorrhoeae, a strong sigma 70 promoter 80 bp upstream of the translational start site is used to transcribe lst, whereas this promoter is inactive in N. meningitidis. In N. meningitidis, a weak sigma 70 promoter at the 3′ terminus of a 105-bp Correia repeat-enclosed element 99 bp upstream of the translational start site is used to transcribe lst. We conclude that differential Stase expression between N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis is due at least in part to differential lst gene transcription.