Open AccessThe Quorum Sensing Negative Regulators EsaR and ExpR Ecc , Homologues within the LuxR Family, Retain the Ability To Function as Activators of Transcription
Author(s) -
Susanne B. von Bodman,
Jessica K. Ball,
Marie Annette Faini,
Carmen M. Herrera,
Timothy D. Minogue,
Mark L. Urbanowski,
Ann M. Stevens
Publication year - 2003
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.185.23.7001-7007.2003
Subject(s) - biology , quorum sensing , homoserine , transcription (linguistics) , genetics , transcription factor , gene , promoter , dna , rna polymerase , regulation of gene expression , transcriptional regulation , dna binding protein , microbiology and biotechnology , gene expression , rna , virulence , linguistics , philosophy
Most LuxR homologues function as activators of transcription during the process of quorum sensing, but a few, including EsaR and ExpR(Ecc), negatively impact gene expression. The LuxR-activated luxI promoter and LuxR binding site, the lux box, were used in artificial contexts to assess the potential for transcriptional activation and DNA binding by EsaR and ExpR(Ecc). Although the acyl-homoserine lactone responsiveness of both proteins is the opposite of that shown by most LuxR family members, EsaR and ExpR(Ecc) have preserved the ability to interact with RNA polymerase and activate transcription despite their low affinity for the lux box DNA.