Conformational features of the Staphylococcus aureus AgrA-promoter interactions rationalize quorum-sensing triggered gene expression.

ABSTRACT: The intracellular trigger for the quorum sensing response mechanism in Staphylococcus aureus involves the phosphorylation of the response regulator AgrA by the membrane anchored histidine kinase AgrC. AgrA activates transcription from three promoter sequences (P1-P3). The promoter strength, conditional association of AgrA with these promoter elements and temporal delay in AgrA-mediated changes in gene expression contribute to the diversity of the quorum sensing response in different S. aureus strains. AgrA promoters comprise of imperfect direct repeats of DNA with a consensus sequence- [TA][AC][CA]GTTN[AG][TG]. Here we describe crystal structures of the DNA-binding (LytTR) domain of AgrA with different cognate DNA sequences that reveal a hitherto unanticipated feature of AgrA

SUBMITTER: Rajasree K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5600425 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature