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Iron facilitates the RetS‐Gac‐Rsm cascade to inversely regulate protease IV ( piv ) expression via the sigma factor PvdS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Author(s) -
Peng Juan,
Chen Gukui,
Xu Xuejie,
Wang Tietao,
Liang Haihua
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.954
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1462-2920
pISSN - 1462-2912
DOI - 10.1111/1462-2920.15270
Subject(s) - protease , proteases , biology , virulence factor , microbiology and biotechnology , serine protease , virulence , sigma factor , pseudomonas aeruginosa , bacteria , enzyme , gene expression , biochemistry , gene , genetics , promoter
Summary Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces several proteases, such as an elastase (LasB protease), a LasA protease, and protease IV (PIV), which are thought as significant virulence factors during infection. Regulators of LasA and LasB expression have been identified and well characterized; however, the molecular details of this regulation of protease IV (PIV) remained largely unknown. Here, we describe the interaction between protease IV and the RetS/Rsm signalling pathway, which plays a central role in controlling the production of multiple virulence factors and the switch from planktonic to biofilm lifestyle. We show that the expression of piv was reduced in Δ retS or Δ rsmA strain grown under restrictive conditions but was induced in Δ retS or Δ rsmA mutant grown under rich conditions as compared with wild‐type parent. We compare the expression of piv under various conditions and found that iron facilitates RetS/Rsm system to lead this inverse regulation. Moreover, we reveal that the RetS/Rsm pathway regulates PIV production dependent on the alternative sigma factor PvdS. Collectively, this study extends the understanding of the RetS/Rsm regulatory cascade in response to environmental signals and provides insights into how P. aeruginosa adapts to the complex conditions.