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Carbapenem antibiotic biosynthesis in Erwinia carotovora is regulated by physiological and genetic factors modulating the quorum sensing‐dependent control pathway
Author(s) -
McGowan Simon J.,
Barnard Anne M. L.,
Bosgelmez Gulgun,
Sebaihia Mohammed,
Simpson Natalie J. L.,
Thomson Nicholas R.,
Todd Daniel E.,
Welch Martin,
Whitehead Neil A.,
Salmond George P. C.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2004.04397.x
Subject(s) - quorum sensing , biology , erwinia , homoserine , gene , operon , genetics , transcription (linguistics) , promoter , transcription factor , transcriptional regulation , gene expression , virulence , escherichia coli , linguistics , philosophy
Summary Erwinia carotovora produces the β‐lactam antibiotic, carbapenem, in response to a quorum sensing signalling molecule, N‐ (3‐oxohexanoyl)‐ l ‐homoserine lactone (OHHL). We have mapped the OHHL‐dependent promoter upstream of the first of the biosynthetic genes, carA . We have also analysed the effect on this promoter of the known genetic regulators of carbapenem expression, carR , carI (encoding homologues of LuxR and LuxI respectively) and hor (encoding a SlyA/MarR‐like transcriptional regulator). We describe a previously unknown promoter located within the carA‐H operon. This promoter does not respond to CarR and is required for quorum sensing‐independent expression of the carbapenem resistance determinants encoded by the carFG genes. We have mapped the carR , carI and hor transcription start points, shown that CarR is positively autoregulated in the presence of OHHL, and have demonstrated negative feedback affecting transcription of carI . In addition, various environmental and physiological factors were shown to impinge on the transcription of the car biosynthetic genes. The nature of the carbon source and the temperature of growth influence carbapenem production by modulating the level of the OHHL signalling molecule, and thereby physiologically fine‐tune the quorum sensing regulatory system.