Maayan Korman1, Yifat Elharar1, Itzhak Fishov1, Eyal Gur1,2. 1. Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. 2. The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel.
Abstract
AIM: Mycobacterium tuberculosis possesses an intracellular tagging and degradation system, which has emerged as a target for development of anti-tuberculosis agents. In this system, PafA is the ligase that marks proteins for degradation by their covalent modification with a protein modifier. Here, we studied pafA transcriptional regulation, which remained elusive despite its importance for M. tuberculosis virulence. MATERIALS & METHODS: Working with Mycobacterium smegmatis, a mycobacterial model organism, we examined the involvement of the global regulators PafB and PafC in pafA regulation. RESULTS: PafBC activated pafA transcription following DNA damage, resulting in efficient cellular recovery. CONCLUSION: The results unraveled the involvement of PafBC in pafA transcription, and revealed the importance of proper PafA regulation in mycobacterial physiology.
AIM: Mycobacterium tuberculosis possesses an intracellular tagging and degradation system, which has emerged as a target for development of anti-tuberculosis agents. In this system, PafA is the ligase that marks proteins for degradation by their covalent modification with a protein modifier. Here, we studied pafA transcriptional regulation, which remained elusive despite its importance for M. tuberculosis virulence. MATERIALS & METHODS: Working with Mycobacterium smegmatis, a mycobacterial model organism, we examined the involvement of the global regulators PafB and PafC in pafA regulation. RESULTS: PafBC activated pafA transcription following DNA damage, resulting in efficient cellular recovery. CONCLUSION: The results unraveled the involvement of PafBC in pafA transcription, and revealed the importance of proper PafA regulation in mycobacterial physiology.