Adaptation to sustained nitrogen starvation by Escherichia coli requires the eukaryote-like serine/threonine kinase YeaG.

ABSTRACT: The Escherichia coli eukaryote-like serine/threonine kinase, encoded by yeaG, is expressed in response to diverse stresses, including nitrogen (N) starvation. A role for yeaG in bacterial stress response is unknown. Here we reveal for the first time that wild-type E. coli displays metabolic heterogeneity following sustained periods of N starvation, with the metabolically active population displaying compromised viability. In contrast, such heterogeneity in metabolic activity is not observed in an E. coli ∆yeaG mutant, which continues to exist as a single and metabolically active population and thus displays an overall compromised ability to survive sustained periods of N starvation. The mechanism by which yeaG acts, involves the transcriptional repression of two toxin/antitoxin modules, mq

SUBMITTER: Figueira R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4664914 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature