VapC6, a ribonucleolytic toxin regulates thermophilicity in the crenarchaeote Sulfolobus solfataricus.

ABSTRACT: The phylum Crenarchaeota includes hyperthermophilic micro-organisms subjected to dynamic thermal conditions. Previous transcriptomic studies of Sulfolobus solfataricus identified vapBC6 as a heat-shock (HS)-inducible member of the Vap toxin-antitoxin gene family. In this study, the inactivation of the vapBC6 operon by targeted gene disruption produced two recessive phenotypes related to fitness, HS sensitivity and a heat-dependent reduction in the rate of growth. In-frame vapBC6 deletion mutants were analyzed to examine the respective roles of each protein. Since vapB6 transcript abundance was elevated in the vapC6 deletion, the VapC6 toxin appears to regulate abundance of its cognate antitoxin. In contrast, vapC6 transcript abundance was reduced in the vapB6 deletion. A putative intergeni

SUBMITTER: Maezato Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3138573 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature