Abstract
In Escherichia coli, the synthesis of the flagellar organelle is sensitive to catabolite repression. Synthesis requires the presence of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate receptor protein (Crp) and 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP); i.e., mutants that lack Crp or adenylcyclase (Cya) synthesize no flagella. We isolated and characterized a series of mutants (cfs) that restored flagella-forming ability in a Crp strain of E. coli. The mutations in these strains were transferred onto episomes and they were then introduced into a variety of other strains. The presence of the mutation resulted in flagella synthesis in Cya and Crp strains as well as in the wild type grown under conditions of catabolite repression. Deletion analysis and other genetic studies indicated that: (i) the cfs mutations had a dominant effect when they were in the transconfiguration in merodiploids: (ii) they occurred in or very close to the flaI gene: and (iii) their expression required the presence of an intact flaI gene adjacent to the cfs mutation. Biochemical studies showed that the synthesis of at least two flagellar polypeptides, the hook subunit and an amber fragment of flagellin, were absent in strains that carried a cya mutation. Their synthesis was depressed in strains grown under conditions of catabolite repression. The presence of the cfs mutation restored the specific synthesis of these two polypeptides. We suggest that the formation of the flaI gene product is the step in flagellar synthesis that is catabolite sensitive and requires cAMP. We propose a regulatory function for the product of the flaI gene.
Full text
PDF
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Adler J., Templeton B. The effect of environmental conditions on the motility of Escherichia coli. J Gen Microbiol. 1967 Feb;46(2):175–184. doi: 10.1099/00221287-46-2-175. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Dobrogosz W. J., Hamilton P. B. The role of cyclic AMP in chemotaxis in Escherichia coli. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1971 Jan 22;42(2):202–207. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(71)90088-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Emmer M., deCrombrugghe B., Pastan I., Perlman R. Cyclic AMP receptor protein of E. coli: its role in the synthesis of inducible enzymes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1970 Jun;66(2):480–487. doi: 10.1073/pnas.66.2.480. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pastan I., Perlman R. L. The role of the lac promotor locus in the regulation of beta-galactosidase synthesis by cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1968 Dec;61(4):1336–1342. doi: 10.1073/pnas.61.4.1336. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Perlman R. L., Pastan I. Pleiotropic deficiency of carbohydrate utilization in an adenyl cyclase deficient mutant of Escherichia coli. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1969 Sep 24;37(1):151–157. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(69)90893-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Silverman M. R., Simon M. I. Flagellar assembly mutants in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1972 Nov;112(2):986–993. doi: 10.1128/jb.112.2.986-993.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Silverman M., Simon M. Genetic analysis of bacteriophage Mu-induced flagellar mutants in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1973 Oct;116(1):114–122. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.1.114-122.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Silverman M., Simon M. Genetic analysis of flagellar mutants in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1973 Jan;113(1):105–113. doi: 10.1128/jb.113.1.105-113.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Silverman M., Simon M. Positioning flagellar genes in Escherichia coli by deletion analysis. J Bacteriol. 1974 Jan;117(1):73–79. doi: 10.1128/jb.117.1.73-79.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Silverstone A. E., Magasanik B., Reznikoff W. S., Miller J. H., Beckwith J. R. Catabolite sensitive site of the lac operon. Nature. 1969 Mar 15;221(5185):1012–1014. doi: 10.1038/2211012b0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Yokota T., Gots J. S. Requirement of adenosine 3', 5'-cyclic phosphate for flagella formation in Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. J Bacteriol. 1970 Aug;103(2):513–516. doi: 10.1128/jb.103.2.513-516.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]