Analysis of the Caulobacter crescentus Zur regulon reveals novel insights in zinc acquisition by TonB-dependent outer membrane proteins.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Intracellular zinc concentration needs to be maintained within strict limits due to its toxicity at high levels, and this is achieved by a finely regulated balance between uptake and efflux. Many bacteria use the Zinc Uptake Regulator Zur to orchestrate zinc homeostasis, but little is known regarding the transport of this metal across the bacterial outer membrane.

Results

In this work we determined the Caulobacter crescentus Zur regulon by global transcriptional and in silico analyses. Among the genes directly repressed by Zur in response to zinc availability are those encoding a putative high affinity ABC uptake system (znuGHI), three TonB-dependent receptors (znuK, znuL and znuM) and one new putative transporter of a family not yet characterized (zrpW). Zur is a

SUBMITTER: Mazzon RR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4176598 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature