Heterogeneous regulation of bacterial natural product biosynthesis via a novel transcription factor

Heliyon

Ralf Heermann¹  Angela Glaeser¹  Nicholas J. Tobias²  Helge B. Bode²  Antje K. Heinrich² 

[1] Bereich Mikrobiologie, Biozentrum Martinsried, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany;Fachbereich Biowissenschaften, Merck Stiftungsprofessur für Molekulare Biotechnologie, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany;

关键词: Cell biology;    Microbiology;    Genetics;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.heliyon.2016.e00197

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Biological diversity arises among genetically equal subpopulations in the same environment, a phenomenon called phenotypic heterogeneity. The life cycle of the enteric bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens involves a symbiotic interaction with nematodes as well as a pathogenic association with insect larvae. P. luminescens exists in two distinct phenotypic forms designated as primary (1°) and secondary (2°). In contrast to 1° cells, 2° cells are non-pigmented due to the absence of natural compounds, especially anthraquinones (AQs). We identified a novel type of transcriptional regulator, AntJ, which activates expression of the antA-I operon responsible for AQ production. AntJ heterogeneously activates the AQ production in single P. luminescens 1° cells, and blocks AQ production in 2° cells. AntJ contains a proposed ligand-binding WYL-domain, which is widespread among bacteria. AntJ is one of the rare examples of regulators that mediate heterogeneous gene expression by altering activity rather than copy number in single cells.

【 授权许可】

Unknown