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. 1994 Jul;176(13):3878–3884. doi: 10.1128/jb.176.13.3878-3884.1994

Identification of DNA sequences recognized by VirF, the transcriptional activator of the Yersinia yop regulon.

P Wattiau 1, G R Cornelis 1
PMCID: PMC205584  PMID: 8021169

Abstract

Pathogenic bacteria of the genus Yersinia harbor a 70-kb plasmid required for virulence. The plasmid-encoded virulence proteins of yersiniae are positively regulated at the transcriptional level by the product of the virF gene, the key activator of the system. virF encodes a DNA-binding protein related to the AraC family of transcriptional activators. The VirF protein from Yersinia enterocolitica is a 30-kDa protein that forms dimers in vitro and that specifically binds to the promoter region of VirF-regulated genes. In this work, we determined the sequences of eight VirF-binding sites from four different genes, by DNase I or hydroxyl radical footprinting. The protected regions, about 40 bases long, were aligned, and a number of conserved residues were identified. A 13-bp sequence resembling TTTTaGYcTtTat (in which nucleotides conserved in > or = 60% of the sequences are in uppercase letters and y indicates C or T) appeared, either isolated or as an inverted repeat in each of the eight sites.

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Selected References

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