Two-component regulatory systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: an intricate network mediating fimbrial and efflux pump gene expression
Author(s)
Sivaneson, Melissa
Mikkelsen, Helga
Ventre, Isabelle
Bordi, Christophe
Filloux, Alain
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is responsible for chronic and acute infections in humans. Chronic infections are associated with production of fimbriae and the formation of a biofilm. The two‐component system Roc1 is named after its role in the regulation of cup genes, which encode components of a machinery allowing assembly of fimbriae. A non‐characterized gene cluster, roc2, encodes components homologous to the Roc1 system. We show that cross‐regulation occurs between the Roc1 and Roc2 signalling pathways. We demonstrate that the sensors RocS2 and RocS1 converge on the response regulator RocA1 to control cupC gene expression. This control is independent of the response regulator RocA2. Instead, we show that these sensors act via the RocA2 response regulator to repress the mexAB‐oprM genes. These genes encode a multidrug efflux pump and are upregulated in the rocA2 mutant, which is less susceptible to antibiotics. It has been reported that in cystic fibrosis lungs, in which P. aeruginosa adopts the biofilm lifestyle, most isolates have an inactive MexAB‐OprM pump. The concomitant RocS2‐dependent upregulation of cupC genes (biofilm formation) and downregulation of mexAB‐oprM genes (antibiotic resistance) is in agreement with this observation. It suggests that the Roc systems may sense the environment in the cystic fibrosis lung.
Date Issued
2011-03-01
Date Acceptance
2010-12-21
Citation
Molecular Microbiology, 2011, 79 (5), pp.1353-1366
ISSN
0950-382X
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
1353
End Page
1366
Journal / Book Title
Molecular Microbiology
Volume
79
Issue
5
Copyright Statement
© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Re‐use of this article is permitted in accordance with the Terms and Conditions set out at http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/onlineopen#OnlineOpen_Terms
Sponsor
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000287589000020&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
BB/F019645/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Microbiology
CYSTIC-FIBROSIS PATIENTS
MEXA-MEXB-OPRM
SIGNAL-TRANSDUCTION
ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANCE
BIOFILM FORMATION
ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES
POLYMYXIN-B
SMALL RNAS
IDENTIFICATION
VIRULENCE
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2011-01-24