Antitoxin MqsA represses curli formation through the master biofilm regulator CsgD
File(s)
Author(s)
Soo, Valerie WC
Wood, Thomas K
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
MqsA, the antitoxin of the MqsR/MqsA toxin/antitoxin (TA) system, is a global regulator that reduces expression of several stress response genes (e.g., mqsRA, cspD and rpoS) by binding to the promoter palindromic motif [5′-AACCT (N)3 AGGTT-3′]. We identified a similar mqsRA-like palindrome [5′-AACCT TA AGGTT-3′] 78 bp upstream of the transcription initiation site in the csgD promoter (p-csgD). CsgD is a master regulator for biofilm formation via its control of curli and cellulose production. We show here that MqsA binds to this palindrome in p-csgD to repress csgD transcription. As expected, p-csgD repression by MqsA resulted in reduced transcription from CsgD-regulated curli genes csgA and csgB (encoding the major and minor curlin subunits, respectively). Curli production was reduced in colonies and in planktonic cells upon MqsA production. Hence, MqsA directly represses p-csgD and thereby influences curli formation. This demonstrates that TA systems can impact overall cell physiology by fine-tuning cellular stress responses.
Date Issued
2013-11-11
Date Acceptance
2013-10-28
Citation
Scientific Reports, 2013, 3, pp.1-7
ISSN
2045-2322
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
Start Page
1
End Page
7
Journal / Book Title
Scientific Reports
Volume
3
Copyright Statement
© 2013 The Author(s). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
License URL
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000326731900003&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Subjects
Science & Technology
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Science & Technology - Other Topics
ESCHERICHIA-COLI
GENE-EXPRESSION
SALMONELLA-TYPHIMURIUM
FIBRONECTIN-BINDING
STRESS-RESPONSE
PROTEIN
CELLULOSE
TOXIN
SYSTEM
RNA
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 3186
Date Publish Online
2013-11-11