Regulation and activity of a zinc uptake regulator, Zur, in Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

ABSTRACT: Regulation of metal ion homeostasis is essential to bacterial cell survival, and in most species it is controlled by metal-dependent transcriptional regulators. In this study, we describe a Corynebacterium diphtheriae ferric uptake regulator-family protein, Zur, that controls expression of genes involved in zinc uptake. By measuring promoter activities and mRNA levels, we demonstrate that Zur represses transcription of three genes (zrg, cmrA, and troA) in zinc-replete conditions. All three of these genes have similarity to genes involved in zinc uptake. Transcription of zrg and cmrA was also shown to be regulated in response to iron and manganese, respectively, by mechanisms that are independent of Zur. We demonstrate that the activity of the zur promoter is slightly decreased under low zi

SUBMITTER: Smith KF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2648206 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature