Hierarchical expression of genes controlled by the Bacillus subtilis global regulatory protein CodY.

ABSTRACT: Global regulators that bind strategic metabolites allow bacteria to adapt rapidly to dynamic environments by coordinating the expression of many genes. We report an approach for determining gene regulation hierarchy using the regulon of the Bacillus subtilis global regulatory protein CodY as proof of principle. In theory, this approach can be used to measure the dynamics of any bacterial transcriptional regulatory network that is affected by interaction with a ligand. In B. subtilis, CodY controls dozens of genes, but the threshold activities of CodY required to regulate each gene are unknown. We hypothesized that targets of CodY are differentially regulated based on varying affinity for the protein's many binding sites. We used RNA sequencing to determine the transcription profiles of B.

SUBMITTER: Brinsmade SR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4050614 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature