scholarly journals Tunable phenotypic variability through an autoregulatory alternative sigma factor circuit

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian P Schwall ◽  
Torkel E Loman ◽  
Bruno M C Martins ◽  
Sandra Cortijo ◽  
Casandra Villava ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sigma Factor ◽  
Phenotypic Variability ◽  
Alternative Sigma Factor

scholarly journals Tunable phenotypic variability through an autoregulatory alternative sigma factor circuit

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian P. Schwall ◽  
Torkel Loman ◽  
Bruno M.C. Martins ◽  
Sandra Cortijo ◽  
Casandra Villava ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental History ◽  
Stress Level ◽  
Sigma Factor ◽  
Phenotypic Variability ◽  
Time Lapse ◽  
Alternative Sigma Factor ◽  
Bacterial Populations ◽  
Time Lapse Microscopy ◽  
Genetic Perturbations ◽  
Feedback Structure

AbstractGenetically identical individuals in bacterial populations can display significant phenotypic variability. This variability can be functional, for example by allowing a fraction of stress prepared cells to survive an otherwise lethal stress. The optimal fraction of stress prepared cells depends on environmental conditions. However, how bacterial populations modulate their level of phenotypic variability remains unclear. Here we show that the alternative sigma factor σV circuit in B. subtilis generates functional phenotypic variability that can be tuned by stress level, environmental history, and genetic perturbations. Using single-cell time-lapse microscopy and microfluidics, we find the fraction of cells that immediately activate σV under lysozyme stress depends on stress level and on a memory of previous stress. Iteration between model and experiment reveals that this tunability can be explained by the autoregulatory feedback structure of the sigV operon. As predicted by the model, genetic perturbations to the operon also modulate the response variability. The conserved sigma-anti-sigma autoregulation motif is thus a simple mechanism for bacterial populations to modulate their heterogeneity based on their environment.

scholarly journals Global transcriptional response to vancomycin in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Microbiology ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 155 (4) ◽  
pp. 1093-1102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Provvedi ◽  
Francesca Boldrin ◽  
Francesco Falciani ◽  
Giorgio Palù ◽  
Riccardo Manganelli
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Surface Stress ◽  
Sigma Factor ◽  
Clustering Analysis ◽  
Transcriptional Response ◽  
Alternative Sigma Factor ◽  
Hierarchical Clustering Analysis ◽  
Physiological Mechanisms ◽  
Basal Resistance ◽  
Antibacterial Drugs

In order to gain additional understanding of the physiological mechanisms used by bacteria to maintain surface homeostasis and to identify potential targets for new antibacterial drugs, we analysed the variation of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis transcriptional profile in response to inhibitory and subinhibitory concentrations of vancomycin. Our analysis identified 153 genes differentially regulated after exposing bacteria to a concentration of the drug ten times higher than the MIC, and 141 genes differentially expressed when bacteria were growing in a concentration of the drug eightfold lower than the MIC. Hierarchical clustering analysis indicated that the response to these different conditions is different, although with some overlap. This approach allowed us to identify several genes whose products could be involved in the protection from antibiotic stress targeting the envelope and help to confer the basal level of M. tuberculosis resistance to antibacterial drugs, such as Rv2623 (UspA-like), Rv0116c, PE20-PPE31, PspA and proteins related to toxin–antitoxin systems. Moreover, we also demonstrated that the alternative sigma factor σ E confers basal resistance to vancomycin, once again underlining its importance in the physiology of the mycobacterial surface stress response.

scholarly journals Roles of rpoN, fliA,and flgR in Expression of Flagella inCampylobacter jejuni

2001 ◽  
Vol 183 (9) ◽  
pp. 2937-2942 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aparna Jagannathan ◽  
Chrystala Constantinidou ◽  
Charles W. Penn
Keyword(s):  
Campylobacter Jejuni ◽  
Genome Sequence ◽  
Sigma Factor ◽  
Transcriptional Activator ◽  
Alternative Sigma Factor ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Global Regulation ◽  
Mutant Strains ◽  
Microscopic Studies

ABSTRACT Three potential regulators of flagellar expression present in the genome sequence of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168, the genes rpoN, flgR, andfliA, which encode the alternative sigma factor ς54, the ς54-associated transcriptional activator FlgR, and the flagellar sigma factor ς28, respectively, were investigated for their role in global regulation of flagellar expression. The three genes were insertionally inactivated inC. jejuni strains NCTC 11168 and NCTC 11828. Electron microscopic studies of the wild-type and mutant strains showed that therpoN and flgR mutants were nonflagellate and that the fliA mutant had truncated flagella. Immunoblotting experiments with the three mutants confirmed the roles of rpoN, flgR, and fliA in the expression of flagellin.

scholarly journals The alternative sigma factor SigF is a key player in the control of secretion mechanisms inSynechocystissp. PCC 6803

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 343-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Flores ◽  
Marina Santos ◽  
Sara B. Pereira ◽  
Rita Mota ◽  
Federico Rossi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sigma Factor ◽  
Alternative Sigma Factor ◽  
Pcc 6803

scholarly journals Alternative Sigma Factor SigK Has a Role in Stress Tolerance of Group I Clostridium botulinum Strain ATCC 3502

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (12) ◽  
pp. 3867-3869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elias Dahlsten ◽  
David Kirk ◽  
Miia Lindström ◽  
Hannu Korkeala
Keyword(s):  
Stress Tolerance ◽  
Sigma Factor ◽  
Clostridium Botulinum ◽  
Alternative Sigma Factor ◽  
Strain Atcc ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Osmotic Stress Tolerance ◽  
Group I ◽  
Temperature Downshift

ABSTRACTThe role of the alternative sigma factor SigK in cold and osmotic stress tolerance ofClostridium botulinumATCC 3502 was demonstrated by induction ofsigKafter temperature downshift and exposure to hyperosmotic conditions and by impaired growth of thesigKmutants under the respective conditions.

scholarly journals Sigma B Contributes to PrfA-Mediated Virulence in Listeria monocytogenes

2002 ◽  
Vol 70 (7) ◽  
pp. 3948-3952 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celine A. Nadon ◽  
Barbara M. Bowen ◽  
Martin Wiedmann ◽  
Kathryn J. Boor
Keyword(s):  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Sigma Factor ◽  
Deletion Mutation ◽  
Alternative Sigma Factor ◽  
Regulatory Factor ◽  
Virulence Phenotype ◽  
Sigma B

ABSTRACT Transcription of the Listeria monocytogenes positive regulatory factor A protein (PrfA) is initiated from either of two promoters immediately upstream of prfA (prfAp 1 and prfAp 2) or from the upstream plcA promoter. We demonstrate that prfAp 2 is a functional σB-dependent promoter and that a sigB deletion mutation affects the virulence phenotype of L. monocytogenes. Thus, the alternative sigma factor σB contributes to virulence in L. monocytogenes.

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