Regulation of virulence gene transcripts by the Francisella novicida orphan response regulator PmrA: role of phosphorylation and evidence of MglA/SspA interaction.

ABSTRACT: Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis is the etiologic agent of tularemia and has been designated a category A biothreat agent by the CDC. Tularemia is characterized by replication and dissemination within host phagocytes. Intramacrophage growth is dependent upon the regulation of Francisella pathogenicity island (FPI) virulence genes, which is poorly understood. Two-component regulatory systems (TCS) are widely employed by Gram-negative bacteria to monitor and respond to environmental signals. Virulent strains of F. tularensis subsp. tularensis are devoid of classical, tandemly arranged TCS genes, but orphaned members, such as that encoding the response regulator PmrA, have been identified. In the F. novicida model system, previous work has shown that a pmrA mutant shows decreased expr

SUBMITTER: Bell BL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2863534 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature