Transcriptional Activator GmrA, Encoded in Genomic Island OI-29, Controls the Motility of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7.

ABSTRACT: Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a major human enteric pathogen capable of causing large outbreaks of severe infections that induce bloody diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Its genome contains 177 unique O islands (OIs) including those carrying the main virulence elements, Shiga toxin-converting phages (OI-45 and OI-93) and locus for enterocyte effacement (OI-148). However, many of these islands harbor only genes of unknown function. Here, we demonstrate that OI-29 encodes a newly discovered transcriptional activator, Z0639 (named GmrA), that is required for motility and flagellar synthesis in O157:H7. GmrA directly binds to the promoter of fliA, an RNA polymerase sigma factor, and thereby regulates flagellar genes controlled by FliA. Expression of

SUBMITTER: Yang B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5826968 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature