Project description:DNA methylation plays central roles in diverse cellular processes, ranging from error-correction during replication to regulation of bacterial defense mechanisms. Nevertheless, certain aberrant methylation modifications can have lethal consequences. The mechanisms by which bacteria detect and respond to such damage remain incompletely understood. Here, we discover a highly conserved but previously uncharacterized transcription factor (Cada2), which orchestrates a methylation-dependent adaptive response inCaulobacter. This response operates independently of the SOS response, governs the expression of genes crucial for direct repair, and is essential for surviving methylation-induced damage. Our molecular investigation of Cada2 reveals a cysteine methylation-dependent post-translational modification and mode of action distinct from itsE. colicounterpart, a trait conserved across all bacteria harboring a Cada2-like homolog instead. Extending across the bacterial kingdom, our findings support the notion of divergence and co-evolution of adaptive response transcription factors and their corresponding sequence-specific DNA motifs. Despite this diversity, the ubiquitous prevalence of adaptive response regulators underscores the significance of a transcriptional switch, mediated by methylation post-translational modification, in driving a specific and essential bacterial DNA damage response.
Project description:Sigma factors are master regulators of bacterial transcription which direct gene expression of specific subsets of genes. In particular, alternative sigma factors are well-known to be key players of bacterial adaptation to changing environments. To elucidate the regulatory network of sigma factors in P. aeruginosa, an integrative approach including sigma factor-dependent mRNA profiling was performed to define the primary regulon of each sigma factor. Sigma factor hyper-expressing strains harboring the sigma factor gene in trans under control of the araBAD promoter and sigma factor deletion mutants were constructed. Under optimal conditions regarding sigma factor activity and optional induction of sigma factor expression, bacteria were harvested and total RNA was extracted. Upon mRNA enrichment, RNA was fragmented and ligated to specific RNA-adapters containing a hexameric barcode sequence for multiplexing. These RNA-libraries were reverse transcribed and amplified resulting in cDNA libraries which were sequenced on Illumina platforms. Sequence reads were separated according to their barcodes and barcode sequences were removed. The short reads were mapped to the genome sequence of the reference strain P. aeruginosa PA14 wild-type using stampy with default settings. The R package DESeq was used for differential gene expression analysis.
Project description:V. cholerae A50 has a functional CRISPR-cas system with a conserved boxA sequence. Plasmids harboring protospacers that are perfect targets for each spacer of the array are introduced into wt and boxA mutant V. cholerae. After a period of growth without selection, cells are collected and the protospacer plasmids are sequenced in a high throughput manner.