English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Competence is a widespread bacterial differentiation program driving antibiotic resistance and virulence in many pathogens. Here, we studied the spatiotemporal localization dynamics of the key regulators that master the two intertwined and transient transcription waves defining competence in  Streptococcus pneumoniae . The first wave relies on the stress-inducible phosphorelay between ComD and ComE proteins, and the second on the alternative sigma factor σ X , which directs the expression of the DprA protein that turns off competence through interaction with phosphorylated ComE. We found that ComD, σ X  and DprA stably co-localize at one pole in competent cells, with σ X  physically conveying DprA next to ComD. Through this polar DprA targeting function, σ X  mediates the timely shut-off of the pneumococcal competence cycle, preserving cell fitness. Altogether, this study unveils an unprecedented role for a transcription σ factor in spatially coordinating the negative feedback loop of its own genetic circuit.

The alternative sigma factor σ X mediates competence shut-off at the cell pole in Streptococcus pneumoniae