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Characterization of combinatorial patterns generated by multiple two‐component sensors in E. coli that respond to many stimuli
Author(s) -
Clarke Elizabeth J.,
Voigt Christopher A.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.22966
Subject(s) - component (thermodynamics) , escherichia coli , function (biology) , biological system , enumeration , set (abstract data type) , bacteria , biology , enterobacteriaceae , two component regulatory system , uncorrelated , computational biology , computer science , gene , biochemistry , genetics , physics , mathematics , statistics , combinatorics , mutant , programming language , thermodynamics
Abstract Two‐component systems enable bacteria to sense changes in their environment and adjust gene expression in response. Multiple two‐component systems could function as a combinatorial sensor to discriminate environmental conditions. A combinatorial sensor is composed of a set of sensors that are non‐specifically activated to different magnitudes by many stimuli, such that their collective activity pattern defines the signal. Using promoter reporters and flow cytometry, we measured the response of three two‐component systems in Escherichia coli that have been previously reported to respond to many environmental stimuli (EnvZ/OmpR, CpxA/CpxR, and RcsC/RcsD/RcsB). A chemical library was screened for the ability to activate the sensors and 13 inducers were identified that produce different patterns of sensor activity. The activities of the three systems are uncorrelated with each other and the osmolarity of the inducing media. Five of the seven possible non‐trivial patterns generated by three sensors are observed. This data demonstrate one mechanism by which bacteria are able to use a limited set of sensors to identify a diverse set of compounds and environmental conditions. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011; 108:666–675. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.