Zur and zinc increase expression of E. coli ribosomal protein L31 through RNA-mediated repression of the repressor L31p.

ABSTRACT: Bacteria can adapt in response to numerous stress conditions. One such stress condition is zinc depletion. The zinc-sensing transcription factor Zur regulates the way numerous bacterial species respond to severe changes in zinc availability. Under zinc sufficient conditions, Zn-loaded Zur (Zn2-Zur) is well-known to repress transcription of genes encoding zinc uptake transporters and paralogues of a few ribosomal proteins. Here, we report the discovery and mechanistic basis for the ability of Zur to up-regulate expression of the ribosomal protein L31 in response to zinc in E. coli. Through genetic mutations and reporter gene assays, we find that Zur achieves the up-regulation of L31 through a double repression cascade by which Zur first represses the transcription of L31p, a zinc-lacking pa

SUBMITTER: Rasmussen RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9825181 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature