Open AccessPromoter Strength Properties of the Complete Sigma E Regulon of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica
Author(s) -
Vivek K. Mutalik,
Gen aka,
Sarah E. Ades,
Virgil A. Rhodius,
Carol A. Gross
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.652
H-Index - 246
eISSN - 1067-8832
pISSN - 0021-9193
DOI - 10.1128/jb.01047-09
Subject(s) - regulon , promoter , biology , sigma factor , rna polymerase , porin , escherichia coli , rpos , stringent response , genetics , bacterial outer membrane , gene , gene expression
The σE -directed envelope stress response maintains outer membrane homeostasis and is an important virulence determinant upon host infection inEscherichia coli and related bacteria. σE is activated by at least two distinct mechanisms: accumulation of outer membrane porin precursors and an increase in the alarmone ppGpp upon transition to stationary phase. Expression of the σE regulon is driven from a suite of approximately 60 σE -dependent promoters. Using green fluorescent protein fusions to each of these promoters, we dissected promoter contributions to the output of the regulon under a variety of in vivo conditions. We found that the σE promoters exhibit a large dynamic range, with a few strong and many weak promoters. Interestingly, the strongest promoters control either transcriptional regulators or functions related to porin homeostasis, the very functions conserved amongE. coli and its close relatives. We found that (i) the strength of most promoters is significantly affected by the presence of the upstream (−35 to −65) region of the promoter, which encompasses the UP element, a binding site for the C-terminal domain of the α-subunit of RNA polymerase; (ii) ppGpp generally activates σE promoters, and (iii) σE promoters are responsive to changing σE holoenzyme levels under physiological conditions, reinforcing the idea that the σE regulon is extremely dynamic, enabling cellular adaptation to a constantly changing environment.