RbsR Activates Capsule but Represses the rbsUDK Operon in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus capsule is an important virulence factor that is regulated by a large number of regulators. Capsule genes are expressed from a major promoter upstream of the cap operon. A 10-bp inverted repeat (IR) located 13 bp upstream of the -35 region of the promoter was previously shown to affect capsule gene transcription. However, little is known about transcriptional activation of the cap promoter. To search for potential proteins which directly interact with the cap promoter region (Pcap), we directly analyzed the proteins interacting with the Pcap DNA fragment from shifted gel bands identified by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. One of these regulators, RbsR, was further characterized and found to positively regulate cap gene expression by specifically binding to the cap promoter region. Footprinting analyses showed that RbsR protected a DNA region encompassing the 10-bp IR. Our results further showed that rbsR was directly controlled by SigB and that RbsR was a repressor of the rbsUDK operon, involved in ribose uptake and phosphorylation. The repression of rbsUDK by RbsR could be derepressed by D-ribose. However, D-ribose did not affect RbsR activation of capsule.