Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1989 Oct;171(10):5304–5313. doi: 10.1128/jb.171.10.5304-5313.1989

Differential regulation by iron of regA and toxA transcript accumulation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

D W Frank 1, D G Storey 1, M S Hindahl 1, B H Iglewski 1
PMCID: PMC210366  PMID: 2507519

Abstract

Iron regulation of toxA and regA transcript accumulation was examined in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA103 containing the regA gene on a multicopy plasmid. The patterns of transcript accumulation for toxA and regA were found to be positively correlated. Dot blot and Northern (RNA) blot analysis of total RNA isolated throughout the bacterial growth cycle indicated that multiple copies of the regA gene uncoupled iron repression of the first phase of transcript accumulation for both regA and toxA genes. However, regulation by iron of the second phase of transcript accumulation for each gene was unaffected by several regA gene copies. Total toxin production was increased in cells with multiple copies of regA grown in either low- or high-iron medium. Primer extension analysis of regA mRNA extracted from cells grown in high- and low-iron medium and examined at different points in the cell growth cycle supported the hypothesis that iron regulation of regA transcription occurs at the level of transcriptional initiation. Two start sites were shown for regA transcription at -164 and -75 base pairs from the ATG start codon. The differential regulation of regA transcript accumulation when regA is present in single or multiple copy and the mapping of independent start sites for regA mRNA support the evidence that regA transcription is directed by independently regulated promoter regions.

Full text

PDF
5305

Images in this article

5308Image
on p.5308
5308Image
on p.5308

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Betley M. J., Miller V. L., Mekalanos J. J. Genetics of bacterial enterotoxins. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1986;40:577–605. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.40.100186.003045. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bjorn M. J., Iglewski B. H., Ives S. K., Sadoff J. C., Vasil M. L. Effect of iron on yields of exotoxin A in cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA-103. Infect Immun. 1978 Mar;19(3):785–791. doi: 10.1128/iai.19.3.785-791.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Boyd J., Murphy J. R. Analysis of the diphtheria tox promoter by site-directed mutagenesis. J Bacteriol. 1988 Dec;170(12):5949–5952. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.12.5949-5952.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chen S. T., Jordan E. M., Wilson R. B., Draper R. K., Clowes R. C. Transcription and expression of the exotoxin A gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Gen Microbiol. 1987 Nov;133(11):3081–3091. doi: 10.1099/00221287-133-11-3081. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Finn C. W., Jr, Silver R. P., Habig W. H., Hardegree M. C., Zon G., Garon C. F. The structural gene for tetanus neurotoxin is on a plasmid. Science. 1984 May 25;224(4651):881–884. doi: 10.1126/science.6326263. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Frank D. W., Iglewski B. H. Kinetics of toxA and regA mRNA accumulation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 1988 Oct;170(10):4477–4483. doi: 10.1128/jb.170.10.4477-4483.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Grant C. C., Vasil M. L. Analysis of transcription of the exotoxin A gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 1986 Dec;168(3):1112–1119. doi: 10.1128/jb.168.3.1112-1119.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gray G. L., Smith D. H., Baldridge J. S., Harkins R. N., Vasil M. L., Chen E. Y., Heyneker H. L. Cloning, nucleotide sequence, and expression in Escherichia coli of the exotoxin A structural gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 May;81(9):2645–2649. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.9.2645. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hawley D. K., McClure W. R. Compilation and analysis of Escherichia coli promoter DNA sequences. Nucleic Acids Res. 1983 Apr 25;11(8):2237–2255. doi: 10.1093/nar/11.8.2237. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hedstrom R. C., Funk C. R., Kaper J. B., Pavlovskis O. R., Galloway D. R. Cloning of a gene involved in regulation of exotoxin A expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Infect Immun. 1986 Jan;51(1):37–42. doi: 10.1128/iai.51.1.37-42.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hindahl M. S., Frank D. W., Hamood A., Iglewski B. H. Characterization of a gene that regulates toxin A synthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nucleic Acids Res. 1988 Jun 24;16(12):5699–5699. doi: 10.1093/nar/16.12.5699. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hindahl M. S., Frank D. W., Iglewski B. H. Molecular studies of a positive regulator of toxin A synthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antibiot Chemother (1971) 1987;39:279–289. doi: 10.1159/000414353. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kaczorek M., Zettlmeissl G., Delpeyroux F., Streeck R. E. Diphtheria toxin promoter function in Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Escherichia coli. Nucleic Acids Res. 1985 May 10;13(9):3147–3159. doi: 10.1093/nar/13.9.3147. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Leong D., Murphy J. R. Characterization of the diphtheria tox transcript in Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1985 Sep;163(3):1114–1119. doi: 10.1128/jb.163.3.1114-1119.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Liu P. V. The roles of various fractions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in its pathogenesis. 3. Identity of the lethal toxins produced in vitro and in vivo. J Infect Dis. 1966 Oct;116(4):481–489. doi: 10.1093/infdis/116.4.481. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Lory S. Effect of iron on accumulation of exotoxin A-specific mRNA in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 1986 Dec;168(3):1451–1456. doi: 10.1128/jb.168.3.1451-1456.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Messing J. New M13 vectors for cloning. Methods Enzymol. 1983;101:20–78. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(83)01005-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Miller V. L., Taylor R. K., Mekalanos J. J. Cholera toxin transcriptional activator toxR is a transmembrane DNA binding protein. Cell. 1987 Jan 30;48(2):271–279. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(87)90430-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Neilands J. B., Nakamura K. Regulation of iron assimilation in microorganisms. Nutr Rev. 1985 Jul;43(7):193–197. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.1985.tb02419.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Ohman D. E., Sadoff J. C., Iglewski B. H. Toxin A-deficient mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA103: isolation and characterization. Infect Immun. 1980 Jun;28(3):899–908. doi: 10.1128/iai.28.3.899-908.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Olsen R. H., DeBusscher G., McCombie W. R. Development of broad-host-range vectors and gene banks: self-cloning of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO chromosome. J Bacteriol. 1982 Apr;150(1):60–69. doi: 10.1128/jb.150.1.60-69.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Pabo C. O., Sauer R. T. Protein-DNA recognition. Annu Rev Biochem. 1984;53:293–321. doi: 10.1146/annurev.bi.53.070184.001453. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Sanger F., Nicklen S., Coulson A. R. DNA sequencing with chain-terminating inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1977 Dec;74(12):5463–5467. doi: 10.1073/pnas.74.12.5463. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Storey D. G., Côté M. J., Dimock K., Kang C. Y. Nucleotide sequence of the coding and flanking regions of the human parainfluenza virus 3 hemagglutinin-neuraminidase gene: comparison with other paramyxoviruses. Intervirology. 1987;27(2):69–80. doi: 10.1159/000149722. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Taylor J. M., Illmensee R., Summers J. Efficeint transcription of RNA into DNA by avian sarcoma virus polymerase. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1976 Sep 6;442(3):324–330. doi: 10.1016/0005-2787(76)90307-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Vasil M. L., Chamberlain C., Grant C. C. Molecular studies of Pseudomonas exotoxin A gene. Infect Immun. 1986 May;52(2):538–548. doi: 10.1128/iai.52.2.538-548.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. White B. A., Bancroft F. C. Cytoplasmic dot hybridization. Simple analysis of relative mRNA levels in multiple small cell or tissue samples. J Biol Chem. 1982 Aug 10;257(15):8569–8572. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Wozniak D. J., Cram D. C., Daniels C. J., Galloway D. R. Nucleotide sequence and characterization of toxR: a gene involved in exotoxin A regulation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nucleic Acids Res. 1987 Mar 11;15(5):2123–2135. doi: 10.1093/nar/15.5.2123. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. von Gabain A., Belasco J. G., Schottel J. L., Chang A. C., Cohen S. N. Decay of mRNA in Escherichia coli: investigation of the fate of specific segments of transcripts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1983 Feb;80(3):653–657. doi: 10.1073/pnas.80.3.653. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES