Open AccessThe H ‐ NS protein silences the pyp regulatory network of Y ersinia enterocolitica and is involved in controlling biofilm formation
Author(s) -
Blädel Inga,
Wagner Karin,
Beck Anna,
Schilling Jennifer,
Alexander Schmidt M.,
Heusipp Gerhard
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/1574-6968.12073
Subject(s) - yersinia enterocolitica , nucleoid , gene , psychological repression , biology , horizontal gene transfer , bacterial conjugation , transcription (linguistics) , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , plasmid , escherichia coli , bacteria , gene expression , genome , linguistics , philosophy
Abstract Horizontal gene transfer plays an important role in bacterial evolution. DNA acquired by horizontal gene transfer has to be incorporated into existing regulatory networks. The histone‐like nucleoid structuring protein H‐ NS acts as a silencer of horizontally acquired genes to avoid potential damage. However, specific regulators can overcome H‐ NS repression, resulting in the integration of newly acquired genes into existing regulatory networks. Here, we analyzed the influence of H‐ NS on the transcription of the Yersinia enterocolitica hreP gene and its regulators pypA, pypB, and pypC by establishing a dominant‐negative H‐ NS version. Using transcriptional fusions and electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we show that H‐ NS silences hreP, pypA , pypB, and pypC by direct interactions. While the H‐ NS antagonist RovA activates pypC , it has no effect on pypA and pypB . Furthermore, H‐ NS affects biofilm formation in Y. enterocolitica .