σX Is Involved in Controlling Bacillus subtilis Biofilm Architecture through the AbrB Homologue Abh. / Murray, Ewan J.; Strauch, Mark A.; Stanley-Wall, Nicola R.
In: Journal of Bacteriology, Vol. 191, No. 22, 15.11.2009, p. 6822-6832.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - σ<sup>X </sup>Is Involved in Controlling <em>Bacillus subtilis </em>Biofilm Architecture through the AbrB Homologue Abh
A1 - Murray,Ewan J.
A1 - Strauch,Mark A.
A1 - Stanley-Wall,Nicola R.
AU - Murray,Ewan J.
AU - Strauch,Mark A.
AU - Stanley-Wall,Nicola R.
PY - 2009/11/15
Y1 - 2009/11/15
N2 - <p>A characteristic feature of biofilm formation is the production of a protective extracellular polymeric matrix. In the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis, the biofilm matrix is synthesized by the products of the epsABCDEFGHIJKLMNO operon (hereafter called the eps operon) and yqxM-sipW-tasA loci. Transcription from these operons is repressed by two key regulators, AbrB and SinR. Relief of inhibition is necessary to allow biofilm formation to proceed. Here we present data indicating that Abh, a sequence and structural homologue of AbrB, regulates biofilm architecture by B. subtilis when colony morphology and pellicle formation are assessed. Data indicating that abh expression is dependent on the environmental signals that stimulate the activity of the extracytoplasmic function sigma-factor sigma(X) are shown. We demonstrate that expression of slrR, the proposed activator of yqxM transcription, is positively controlled by Abh. Furthermore, Abh is shown to activate transcription from the promoter of the eps operon through its control of SlrR. These findings add to the increasingly complex transcriptional network that controls biofilm formation by B. subtilis.</p>
AB - <p>A characteristic feature of biofilm formation is the production of a protective extracellular polymeric matrix. In the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis, the biofilm matrix is synthesized by the products of the epsABCDEFGHIJKLMNO operon (hereafter called the eps operon) and yqxM-sipW-tasA loci. Transcription from these operons is repressed by two key regulators, AbrB and SinR. Relief of inhibition is necessary to allow biofilm formation to proceed. Here we present data indicating that Abh, a sequence and structural homologue of AbrB, regulates biofilm architecture by B. subtilis when colony morphology and pellicle formation are assessed. Data indicating that abh expression is dependent on the environmental signals that stimulate the activity of the extracytoplasmic function sigma-factor sigma(X) are shown. We demonstrate that expression of slrR, the proposed activator of yqxM transcription, is positively controlled by Abh. Furthermore, Abh is shown to activate transcription from the promoter of the eps operon through its control of SlrR. These findings add to the increasingly complex transcriptional network that controls biofilm formation by B. subtilis.</p>
KW - TRANSITION-STATE REGULATOR
KW - INTRAMEMBRANE PROTEOLYSIS
KW - MULTICELLULAR BEHAVIOR
KW - GENETIC COMPETENCE
KW - SPORULATION GENE
KW - STATIONARY-PHASE
KW - STRESS RESPONSES
KW - MASTER REGULATOR
KW - PROTEIN
KW - EXPRESSION
U2 - 10.1128/JB.00618-09
DO - 10.1128/JB.00618-09
M1 - Article
JO - Journal of Bacteriology
JF - Journal of Bacteriology
SN - 0021-9193
IS - 22
VL - 191
SP - 6822
EP - 6832
ER -