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Gene repression by sigmaS: sigma competition for binding to RNA polymerase or more?

ABSTRACT: The alternative subunit of RNA polymerase RpoS/σS controls a global adaptive response allowing many Gram-negative bacteria to survive nutrient deprivation and various stresses and contributes to biofilm formation and virulence of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. We have addressed an important but poorly understood aspect of σS-dependent control; that of a repressor. The general assumption is that negative regulation of gene expression by σS is mainly a passive phenomenon, due to competition between σS and other sigma factors for binding to a limited amount of core RNA polymerase (RNAP). Genome expression profiling and physiological characterization of mutants of Salmonella ser. Typhimurium deleted for rpoS or producing a σS protein efficient for binding to RNAP, but not to the -10 promoter element, revealed that gene repression by σS requires its binding to DNA. Therefore, gene repression by σS is an active phenomenon rather than the sole cause of σS competing with other sigma factors for RNAP binding.

ORGANISM(S): Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium

PROVIDER: GSE46380 | GEO | 2014/05/05

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA198870

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:In many Gram-negative bacteria, the stress sigma factor of RNA polymerase, σS/RpoS, remodels global gene expression to reshape the physiology of quiescent cells and ensure their survival under non-optimal growth conditions. In the foodborne pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, σS is also required for biofilm formation and virulence. We have recently shown that a ΔrpoS mutation affects the magnesium content of Salmonella and expression of the primary Mg2+-transporter CorA. The other two Mg2+-transporters of Salmonella are encoded by the PhoP-activated mgtA and mgtB genes expressed under magnesium starvation, whereas the corA gene is expressed constitutively. The σS control of corA prompted us to evaluate the impact CorA in quiescent Salmonella cells, by using global and analytical proteomic analyses and physiological assays. The ΔcorA mutation conferred a competitive disadvantage to exit from stationary phase, and slightly impaired motility, but had no effect on total and free cellular magnesium contents. In contrast to the wild type strain, the ΔcorA mutant produced MgtA, but not MgtB, in the presence of high extracellular magnesium concentration. Under these conditions, MgtA production in the ΔcorA mutant did not require PhoP and, consistently, a ΔmgtA, but not a ΔphoP, mutation slightly reduced the magnesium content of the ΔcorA mutant. Nevertheless, the ΔphoP mutation strongly impaired growth and motility, in the absence of CorA only and independently of the extracellular magnesium concentration, unraveling the importance of PhoP-dependent functions in the absence of CorA. Under these conditions, several proteins involved in flagella formation, chemotaxis and secretion were affected by the ΔcorA and ΔphoP mutations in combination, but not alone. Altogether, our data pinpoint a regulatory network, where the absence of CorA is sensed and its physiological consequences alleviated by induction of MgtA- and PhoP- dependent compensatory mechanisms.

Project description:Bacteria generally possess multiple σ factors that, based on structural and functional similarity, divide into two families: σD and σN. Among the seven σ factors in Escherichia coli, six belongs to the σD family. Each σ factor recognizes a group of promoters, providing effective control of differential gene expression. Many studies have shown that σ factors of the σD family compete with each other for function. In contrast, the competition between σN and σD families has yet to be fully explored. Here we report a global antagonistic effect on gene expression between two alternative σ factors, σN (RpoN) and σS (RpoS), a σD family protein. Mutations in rpoS and rpoN inversely affected a number of cellular traits, such as expression of flagellar genes, σN-controlled growth on poor nitrogen sources, and σS-directed expression of acid phosphatase AppA. Transcriptome analysis reveals that 40% of genes in the RpoN regulon were under reciprocal RpoS control. Furthermore, loss of RpoN led to increased levels of RpoS, while RpoN levels were unaffected by rpoS mutations. Expression of the flagellar σF factor (FliA), another σD family protein, was controlled positively by RpoN but negatively by RpoS. These findings unveil a complex regulatory interaction among σN, σS and σF, and underscore the need to employ systems biology approaches to assess the effect of such interaction of σ factors on cellular functions, including motility, nutrient utilization, and stress response. Precise deletion mutants of rpoS or rpoN of MG1655 were constructed and employed in this study. Cultures were inoculated in triplicate in M9 minimal media (0.2% glucose) at a starting OD of 0.0001 and grown aerobically at 37C. Cultures were harvested at OD600 = 0.3 in exponential phase. For RNA extraction, cultures were mixed directly with a boiling lysis buffer containing SDS and EDTA followed by acidic hot phenol to minimize RNA degradation. RNA samples were hybridized to Affymetrix E. coli Genome 2.0 Array according to Affymetrix's standard protocols.

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Gene repression by sigmaS: sigma competition for binding to RNA polymerase or more?

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