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Killing two birds with one stone: an ABC transporter regulates gene expression through sequestration of a transcriptional regulator at the membrane
Author(s) -
Görke Boris
Publication year - 2012
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.1365-2958.2012.08156.x
Subject(s) - biology , regulator , transporter , gene expression , gene , regulation of gene expression , microbiology and biotechnology , transcriptional regulation , atp binding cassette transporter , genetics
Summary Transcriptional regulators are controlled through various, mostly well‐understood, principles. In the study of Richet et al ., published in this issue of Molecular Microbiology , fluorescence microscopy was used to uncover an unorthodox mechanism that relies on the dynamic shuttling of a gene regulator between the membrane and the chromosome. When not occupied with transport, the maltose‐specific ABC transporter sequesters and thereby inactivates its cognate transcriptional regulator MalT. Upon maltose transport, MalT is released from the membrane and activates the maltose utilization and transport genes. This mechanism prevents induction of MalT by endogenously produced maltotriose, which is the inducer. Thus, the maltose uptake system is a trigger transporter with a bi‐functional role in transport and regulation.