Identification of a hypervariable region containing new Legionella pneumophila Icm/Dot translocated substrates by using the conserved icmQ regulatory signature.

ABSTRACT: Legionella pneumophila is an intracellular pathogen that has been shown to utilize the Icm/Dot type IV secretion system for pathogenesis. This system was shown to be composed of Icm/Dot complex components, accessory proteins, and a large number of translocated substrates. In this study, comparison of the icmQ regulatory regions from many Legionella species revealed a conserved regulatory sequence that includes the icmQ -10 promoter element. Mutagenesis of this conserved regulatory element indicated that each of the nucleotides in it affects the level of expression of the icmQ gene but not in a uniform fashion. A genomic analysis discovered that four additional genes in L. pneumophila contain this conserved regulatory sequence, which was found to function similarly in these genes as well. E

SUBMITTER: Zusman T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2546816 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature