Genome-wide effects of selenium and translational uncoupling on transcription in the termite gut symbiont Treponema primitia.

ABSTRACT:

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When prokaryotic cells acquire mutations, encounter translation-inhibiting substances, or experience adverse environmental conditions that limit their ability to synthesize proteins, transcription can become uncoupled from translation. Such uncoupling is known to suppress transcription of protein-encoding genes in bacteria. Here we show that the trace element selenium controls transcription of the gene for the selenocysteine-utilizing enzyme formate dehydrogenase (fdhFSec) through a translation-coupled mechanism in the termite gut symbiont Treponema primitia, a member of the bacterial phylum Spirochaetes. We also evaluated changes in genome-wide transcriptional patterns caused by selenium limitation and by generally uncoupling translation from transcription via antibioti

SUBMITTER: Matson EG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3892789 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature