Yiquan Zhang1,2, Yue Qiu3, Xingfan Xue3, Miaomiao Zhang3, Junfang Sun4, Xue Li4, Lingfei Hu5, Zhe Yin5, Wenhui Yang5, Renfei Lu6, Dongsheng Zhou7. 1. Wuxi School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China. zhangyiquanq@163.com. 2. School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, China. zhangyiquanq@163.com. 3. School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, Jiangsu, China. 4. Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Nantong, 212006, Jiangsu, China. 5. State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China. 6. Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nantong Third Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Nantong, 212006, Jiangsu, China. rainman78@163.com. 7. State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, China. dongshengzhou1977@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The membrane fusion protein (mfp) gene locus of Vibrio parahaemolyticus consists of two operons, cpsQ-mfpABC and mfpABC, which are both required for biofilm formation. ToxR and CalR are required for the full virulence of V. parahaemolyticus, and their mutual regulation has been demonstrated. Moreover, cell density-dependent expression of toxR was previously observed in V. parahaemolyticus, but details about the related mechanisms remained unclear. QsvR can work with the master quorum sensing (QS) regulators AphA and OpaR to regulate virulence expression and biofilm formation. RESULTS: In the present work, we showed that QsvR bound to the promoter-proximal DNA regions of toxR and calR to repress their transcription as well as occupying the regulatory regions of cpsQ-mfpABC and mfpABC to activate their transcription. Thus, we reconstructed the QsvR-dependent promoter organization of toxR, calR, cpsQ-mfpABC, and mfpABC. CONCLUSION: QsvR directly repressed toxR and calR transcription as well as directly activated cpsQ-mfpABC and mfpABC transcription. The data presented here promotes us to gain deeper knowledge of the regulatory network of the mfp locus in V. parahaemolyticus.
BACKGROUND: The membrane fusion protein (mfp) gene locus of Vibrio parahaemolyticus consists of two operons, cpsQ-mfpABC and mfpABC, which are both required for biofilm formation. ToxR and CalR are required for the full virulence of V. parahaemolyticus, and their mutual regulation has been demonstrated. Moreover, cell density-dependent expression of toxR was previously observed in V. parahaemolyticus, but details about the related mechanisms remained unclear. QsvR can work with the master quorum sensing (QS) regulators AphA and OpaR to regulate virulence expression and biofilm formation. RESULTS: In the present work, we showed that QsvR bound to the promoter-proximal DNA regions of toxR and calR to repress their transcription as well as occupying the regulatory regions of cpsQ-mfpABC and mfpABC to activate their transcription. Thus, we reconstructed the QsvR-dependent promoter organization of toxR, calR, cpsQ-mfpABC, and mfpABC. CONCLUSION: QsvR directly repressed toxR and calR transcription as well as directly activated cpsQ-mfpABC and mfpABC transcription. The data presented here promotes us to gain deeper knowledge of the regulatory network of the mfp locus in V. parahaemolyticus.
Authors: Rosana B R Ferreira; Daniel M Chodur; Luis Caetano M Antunes; Michael J Trimble; Linda L McCarter Journal: J Bacteriol Date: 2011-12-22 Impact factor: 3.490