Haemophilus ducreyi Hfq contributes to virulence gene regulation as cells enter stationary phase.

ABSTRACT:

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To adapt to stresses encountered in stationary phase, Gram-negative bacteria utilize the alternative sigma factor RpoS. However, some species lack RpoS; thus, it is unclear how stationary-phase adaptation is regulated in these organisms. Here we defined the growth-phase-dependent transcriptomes of Haemophilus ducreyi, which lacks an RpoS homolog. Compared to mid-log-phase organisms, cells harvested from the stationary phase upregulated genes encoding several virulence determinants and a homolog of hfq. Insertional inactivation of hfq altered the expression of ~16% of the H. ducreyi genes. Importantly, there were a significant overlap and an inverse correlation in the transcript levels of genes differentially expressed in the hfq inactivation mutant relative to its parent

SUBMITTER: Gangaiah D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3950518 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature