scholarly journals Integrated downstream regulation by the quorum-sensing controlled transcription factors LrhA and RcsA impacts phenotypic outputs associated with virulence in the phytopathogenPantoea stewartiisubsp.stewartii

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e4145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duy An Duong ◽  
Ann M. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Pantoea Stewartii ◽  
Regulatory Cascades ◽  
Bacterial Exopolysaccharide ◽  
Surface Motility ◽  
Stewart's Wilt ◽  
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays ◽  
Low Cell Density

Pantoea stewartiisubsp.stewartiiis a Gram-negative proteobacterium that causes leaf blight and Stewart’s wilt disease in corn. Quorum sensing (QS) controls bacterial exopolysaccharide production that blocks water transport in the plant xylem at high bacterial densities during the later stage of the infection, resulting in wilt. At low cell density the key master QS regulator inP. stewartii, EsaR, directly repressesrcsA, encoding an activator of capsule biosynthesis genes, but activateslrhA, encoding a transcription factor that regulates surface motility. Both RcsA and LrhA have been shown to play a role in plant virulence. In this study, additional information about the downstream targets of LrhA and its interaction with RcsA was determined. A transcriptional fusion assay revealed autorepression of LrhA inP. stewartiiand electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) using purified LrhA confirmed that LrhA binds to its own promoter. In addition, LrhA binds to the promoter for the RcsA gene, as well as those for putative fimbrial subunits and biosurfactant production enzymes inP. stewartii,but not to theflhDCpromoter, which is the main direct target of LrhA inEscherichia coli.This work led to a reexamination of the physiological function of RcsA inP. stewartiiand the discovery that it also plays a role in surface motility. These findings are broadening our understanding of the coordinated regulatory cascades utilized in the phytopathogenP. stewartii.

scholarly journals Proteomic Analysis of the Quorum-Sensing Regulon in Pantoea stewartii and Identification of Direct Targets of EsaR

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (20) ◽  
pp. 6244-6252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Revathy Ramachandran ◽  
Ann M. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Proteomic Analysis ◽  
Homoserine Lactone ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pantoea Stewartii ◽  
Reverse Transcription Pcr ◽  
Glycerol Facilitator ◽  
Stewart's Wilt ◽  
Cell Densities

ABSTRACTThe proteobacteriumPantoea stewartiisubsp.stewartiicauses Stewart's wilt disease in maize when it colonizes the xylem and secretes large amounts of stewartan, an exopolysaccharide. The success of disease pathogenesis lies in the timing of bacterial virulence factor expression through the different stages of infection. Regulation is achieved through a quorum-sensing (QS) system consisting of the acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) synthase, EsaI, and the transcription regulator EsaR. At low cell densities, EsaR represses transcription of itself and ofrcsA, an activator of the stewartan biosynthesis operon; it also activatesesaS, which encodes a small RNA (sRNA). Repression or activation ceases at high cell densities when EsaI synthesizes sufficient levels of the AHL ligandN-3-oxo-hexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone to bind and inactivate EsaR. This study aims to identify other genes activated or repressed by EsaR during the QS response. Proteomic analysis identified a QS regulon of more than 30 proteins. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays of promoters of genes encoding differentially expressed proteins distinguished direct targets of EsaR from indirect targets. Additional quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) and DNA footprinting analysis established that EsaR directly regulates the promoters ofdkgA,glpF, andlrhA. The proteins encoded bydkgA,glpF, andlrhAare a 2,5-diketogluconate reductase, glycerol facilitator, and transcriptional regulator of chemotaxis and motility, respectively, indicating a more global QS response inP. stewartiithan previously recognized.

scholarly journals Transcriptome-Based Analysis of the Pantoea stewartii Quorum-Sensing Regulon and Identification of EsaR Direct Targets

2014 ◽  
Vol 80 (18) ◽  
pp. 5790-5800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Revathy Ramachandran ◽  
Alison Kernell Burke ◽  
Guy Cormier ◽  
Roderick V. Jensen ◽  
Ann M. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Homoserine Lactone ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Proteomic Approach ◽  
Stewart's Wilt ◽  
Cell Densities

ABSTRACTPantoeastewartiisubsp.stewartiiis a proteobacterium that causes Stewart's wilt disease in corn plants. The bacteria form a biofilm in the xylem of infected plants and produce capsule that blocks water transport, eventually causing wilt. At low cell densities, the quorum-sensing (QS) regulatory protein EsaR is known to directly repress expression ofesaRitself as well as the genes for the capsular synthesis operon transcription regulator,rcsA, and a 2,5-diketogluconate reductase,dkgA. It simultaneously directly activates expression of genes for a putative small RNA,esaS, the glycerol utilization operon,glpFKX, and another transcriptional regulator,lrhA. At high bacterial cell densities, all of this regulation is relieved when EsaR binds an acylated homoserine lactone signal, which is synthesized constitutively over growth. QS-dependent gene expression is critical for the establishment of disease in the plant. However, the identity of the full set of genes controlled by EsaR/QS is unknown. A proteomic approach previously identified around 30 proteins in the QS regulon. In this study, a whole-transcriptome, next-generation sequencing analysis of rRNA-depleted RNA from QS-proficient and -deficientP. stewartiistrains was performed to identify additional targets of EsaR. EsaR-dependent transcriptional regulation of a subset of differentially expressed genes was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that EsaR directly bound 10 newly identified target promoters. Overall, the QS regulon ofP. stewartiiorchestrates three major physiological responses: capsule and cell envelope biosynthesis, surface motility and adhesion, and stress response.

scholarly journals Regulation of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum-Sensing Regulator VqsR

2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (12) ◽  
pp. 4367-4374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luen-Luen Li ◽  
Jane E. Malone ◽  
Barbara H. Iglewski
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Transcriptional Start Site ◽  
Transcriptional Regulators ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Operator Sequence ◽  
Biofilm Development ◽  
Microarray Studies ◽  
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays

ABSTRACT Bacteria communicate with each other to regulate cell density-dependent gene expression via a quorum-sensing (QS) cascade. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, two known QS systems, las and rhl, control the expression of many factors that relate to virulence, pathogenicity, and biofilm development. Microarray studies of the las and rhl regulons led to our hypothesis that a complicated hierarchy in the QS regulon is composed of multiple transcriptional regulators. Here, we examined a QS-regulated gene, vqsR, which encodes a probable transcriptional regulator with a putative 20-bp operator sequence (las box) upstream. The transcriptional start site for vqsR was determined. The vqsR promoter was identified by examining a series of vqsR promoter-lacZ fusions. In addition, an Escherichia coli system where either LasR or RhlR protein was expressed from a plasmid indicated that the las system was the dominant regulator for vqsR. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) demonstrate that purified LasR protein binds directly to the vqsR promoter in the presence of 3O-C12-HSL. Point mutational analysis of the vqsR las box suggests that positions 3 and 18 in the las box are important for vqsR transcription, as assayed with a series of vqsRp-lacZ fusions. EMSA also shows that positions 3 and 18 are important for binding between the vqsR promoter and LasR. Our results demonstrate that the las system directly regulates vqsR, and certain nucleotides in the las box are crucial for LasR binding and activation of the vqsR promoter.

scholarly journals Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii Exhibits Surface Motility, Which is a Critical Aspect of Stewart's Wilt Disease Development on Maize

2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. 1359-1370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen M. Herrera ◽  
Maria D. Koutsoudis ◽  
Xiaolei Wang ◽  
Susanne B. von Bodman
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Developmental Process ◽  
Wilt Disease ◽  
Vascular Wilt ◽  
Critical Aspect ◽  
Plant Host ◽  
Pantoea Stewartii ◽  
Surface Motility ◽  
Stewart's Wilt ◽  
Biofilm Development

Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii is a plant-pathogenic bacterium that causes Stewart's vascular wilt in maize. The organism is taxonomically described as aflagellated and nonmotile. We recently showed that P. stewartii colonizes the xylem of maize as sessile, cell-wall-adherent biofilms. Biofilm formation is a developmental process that generally involves some form of surface motility. For that reason, we reexamined the motility properties of P. stewartii DC283 based on the assumption that the organism requires some form of surface motility for biofilm development. Here, we show that the organism is highly motile on agar surfaces. This motility is flagella dependent, shown by the fact that a fliC mutant, impaired in flagellin subunit synthesis, is nonmotile. Motility also requires the production of stewartan exopolysaccharide. Moreover, surface motility plays a significant role in the colonization of the plant host.

scholarly journals CD4 Promoter Transactivation by Human Herpesvirus 6

1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (11) ◽  
pp. 8797-8805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Flamand ◽  
Fabio Romerio ◽  
Marvin S. Reitz ◽  
Robert C. Gallo
Keyword(s):  
Gene Transcription ◽  
Gene Activation ◽  
Human Herpesvirus ◽  
Open Reading Frames ◽  
Immediate Early ◽  
Human Herpesvirus 6 ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Herpesvirus 6 ◽  
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays

ABSTRACT The observation that human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) can induce CD4 gene transcription and expression in CD4− cells was reported several years ago (P. Lusso, A. De Maria, M. Malnati, F. Lori, S. E. DeRocco, M. Baseler, and R. C. Gallo, Nature 349:533–535, 1991) and subsequently confirmed (P. Lusso, M. S. Malnati, A. Garzino-Demo, R. W. Crowley, E. O. Long, and R. C. Gallo, Nature 362:458–462, 1993; G. Furlini, M. Vignoli, E. Ramazzotti, M. C. Re, G. Visani, and M. LaPlaca, Blood 87:4737–4745, 1996). Our objective was to identify the mechanisms underlying such phenomena. Using reporter gene constructs driven by the CD4 promoter, we report that HHV-6 can efficiently transactivate such genetic elements. Activation of the CD4 promoter occurs in the presence of the viral DNA polymerase inhibitor phosphonoformic acid, which limits expression to the immediate-early and early classes of viral genes. Using deletion mutants and specific CD4 promoter mutants, we identified an ATF/CRE binding site located at nucleotides −67 to −60 upstream of the CD4 gene transcription start site that is important for HHV-6 transactivation. The ATF/CRE site is also essential for CD4 promoter activation by forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays and specific antibodies, we showed that CREB-1 binds specifically to the −79 to −52 region of the CD4 promoter. Last, we have identified two open reading frames (ORFs) of HHV-6, U86 and U89 from the immediate-early locus A, that can transactivate the CD4 promoter in HeLa cells. However, transactivation of the CD4 promoter by ORFs U86 and U89 is independent of the CRE element, suggesting that additional HHV-6 ORFs are likely to contribute to CD4 gene activation. Taken together, our results will help to understand the complex interactions occurring between HHV-6 and the CD4 promoter and provide additional information regarding the class of transcription factors involved in the control of CD4 gene expression.

Antiparasitic Treatment of Patients with P. falciparum Malaria Reduces the Ability of Patient Serum to Induce Tissue Factor by Decreasing NF-κB Activation

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (01) ◽  
pp. 039-048 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Bierhaus ◽  
Ch J Hemmer ◽  
N Mackman ◽  
R Kutob ◽  
R Ziegler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Factor ◽  
Falciparum Malaria ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Neutralizing Antibody ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Tf Gene ◽  
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays ◽  
Antiparasitic Treatment ◽  
Stimulation Of

SummarySerum from patients with P. falciparum malaria at day 1 (pretherapy) induces tissue factor (TF) in cultured endothelial cells. TF induction depends on de novo transcription as shown in Nuclear Run On assays. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated binding of AP-1 and NF- κB/Rel proteins to their recognition sites in the TF promotor. After therapy (day 28), stimulation of TF antigen by patient serum is reduced by 70%. When serum obtained before and after therapy was compared, a decrease of NF-κB activation was evident. Activation of NF-κB-like proteins was in part dependent on TNFα in patient serum, since a TNFα neutralizing antibody reduced induction of TF transcription and translation and induction of NF-κB-like proteins. Induction of TF activity was suppressed by pDTC, an inhibitor of NF-κB activation. When different promotor constructs of the TF gene were tested, induction was dependent upon the presence of the intact NF-κB-like binding site in the TF promotor. A mutant with deleted NF-κB, but intact AP-1 sites was not inducible. Mutation of the AP-1 sites did not prevent induction, but reduced inducibility by pretherapy serum. Therefore, NF-κB/Rel proteins are responsible for induction of TF transcription by pretherapy serum, but AP-1 is needed for highest inducibility. The effect of antiparasitic therapy on the induction of TF by serum from patients with complicated P. falciparum malaria is dependent on a therapy-mediated loss of activation of NF-κB-like proteins in post-treatment patient serum.

An IRP-like protein from Plasmodium falciparum binds to a mammalian iron-responsive element

Blood ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 98 (8) ◽  
pp. 2555-2562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Loyevsky ◽  
Timothy LaVaute ◽  
Charles R. Allerson ◽  
Robert Stearman ◽  
Olakunle O. Kassim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Protein S ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Iron Responsive Element ◽  
Element Binding Protein ◽  
Responsive Element ◽  
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays

Abstract This study cloned and sequenced the complementary DNA (cDNA) encoding of a putative malarial iron responsive element-binding protein (PfIRPa) and confirmed its identity to the previously identified iron-regulatory protein (IRP)–like cDNA from Plasmodium falciparum. Sequence alignment showed that the plasmodial sequence has 47% identity with human IRP1. Hemoglobin-free lysates obtained from erythrocyte-stage P falciparum contain a protein that binds a consensus mammalian iron-responsive element (IRE), indicating that a protein(s) with iron-regulatory activity was present in the lysates. IRE-binding activity was found to be iron regulated in the electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Western blot analysis showed a 2-fold increase in the level of PfIRPa in the desferrioxamine-treated cultures versus control or iron-supplemented cells. Malarial IRP was detected by anti-PfIRPa antibody in the IRE-protein complex fromP falciparum lysates. Immunofluorescence studies confirmed the presence of PfIRPa in the infected red blood cells. These findings demonstrate that erythrocyte P falciparum contains an iron-regulated IRP that binds a mammalian consensus IRE sequence, raising the possibility that the malaria parasite expresses transcripts that contain IREs and are iron-dependently regulated.

scholarly journals Silencing of the Gene for the α-Subunit of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin by the Embryonic Transcription Factor Oct-3/4

1997 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1651-1658 ◽  
Author(s):  
Limin Liu ◽  
Douglas Leaman ◽  
Michel Villalta ◽  
R. Michael Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Binding Site ◽  
Gene Promoter ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Choriocarcinoma Cells ◽  
Human Choriocarcinoma Cells ◽  
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays ◽  
Jar Cells

Abstract CG is required for maintenance of the corpus luteum during pregnancy in higher primates. As CG is a heterodimeric molecule, some form of coordinated control must be maintained over the transcription of its two subunit genes. We recently found that expression of human CG β-subunit (hCGβ) in JAr human choriocarcinoma cells was almost completely silenced by the embryonic transcription factor Oct-3/4, which bound to a unique ACAATAATCA octameric sequence in the hCGβ gene promoter. Here we report that Oct-3/4 is also a potent inhibitor of hCG α-subunit (hCGα) expression in JAr cells. Oct-3/4 reduced human GH reporter expression from the −170 hCGα promoter in either the presence or absence of cAMP by about 70% in transient cotransfection assays, but had no effect on expression from either the −148 hCGα or the −99 hCGα promoter. Unexpectedly, no Oct-3/4-binding site was identified within the −170 to −148 region of the hCGα promoter, although one was found around position −115 by both methylation interference footprinting and electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Site-directed mutagenesis of this binding site destroyed the affinity of the promoter for Oct-3/4, but did not affect repression of the promoter. Therefore, inhibition of hCGα gene transcription by Oct-3/4 appears not to involve direct binding of this factor to the site responsible for silencing. When stably transfected into JAr cells, Oct-3/4 reduced the amounts of both endogenous hCGα mRNA and protein by 70–80%. Oct-3/4 is therefore capable of silencing both hCGα and hCGβ gene expression. We suggest that as the trophoblast begins to form, reduction of Oct-3/4 expression permits the coordinated onset of transcription from the hCGα and hCGβ genes.

scholarly journals Characterization of the promoter elements required for hepatic and intestinal transcription of the human apoB gene: definition of the DNA-binding site of a tissue-specific transcriptional factor.

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 2653-2659 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Kardassis ◽  
M Hadzopoulou-Cladaras ◽  
D P Ramji ◽  
R Cortese ◽  
V I Zannis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Binding Site ◽  
Regulatory Elements ◽  
Apob Gene ◽  
Mobility Shift ◽  
Promoter Elements ◽  
Nuclear Extracts ◽  
Dna Binding Site ◽  
Gene Definition ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays

The promoter elements important for intestinal and hepatic transcription of the human apoB gene have been localized downstream of nucleotide -150. Footprinting analysis using hepatic nuclear extracts identified four protected regions, -124 to -100, -97 to -93, -86 to -33, and +33 to +52. Gel electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that multiple factors interact with the apoB sequence -86 to -33, while the region -88 to -61 binds a single nuclear factor. Methylation interference analysis and nucleotide substitution mutagenesis identified the binding site of the factor between residues -78 and -68. Binding competition experiments indicate that this factor recognizes the regulatory elements of other liver-specific genes.

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