Transcriptional interference and repression modulate the conjugative ability of the symbiotic plasmid of Rhizobium etli


Por: Sepúlveda E., Pérez-Mendoza D., Ramírez-Romero M.A., Soto M.J., López-Lara I.M., Geiger O., Sanjuán J., Brom S., Romero D.

Publicada: 1 jun 2008
Resumen:
Bacteria of the order Rhizobiales are able to establish nitrogen-fixing symbioses with legumes. Commonly, genes for symbiosis are harbored on large symbiotic plasmids. Although the transfer of symbiotic plasmids is commonly detected in nature, there are few experimentally characterized examples. In Rhizobium etli, the product of rctA inhibits the conjugation of the symbiotic plasmid by reducing the transcription of the virB operon. rctA is transcribed divergently from this operon, and its product is predicted to have a DNA binding domain. In the present study, using DNase I footprinting and binding assays, we demonstrated the specific binding of RctA to the virB operon promoter. A 9-bp motif in the spacer region of this promoter (the rctA binding motif box) and the presence of a functional -10 region were critical elements for RctA binding. Transcriptional fusion analyses revealed that the elimination of either element provoked a relief of RctA-mediated repression. These data support a

Filiaciones:
Sepúlveda E.:
 Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 565-A, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

Pérez-Mendoza D.:
 Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Granada, Spain

Ramírez-Romero M.A.:
 Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 565-A, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

Soto M.J.:
 Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Granada, Spain

López-Lara I.M.:
 Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 565-A, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

Geiger O.:
 Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 565-A, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

Sanjuán J.:
 Estación Experimental del Zaidín, CSIC, Granada, Spain

Brom S.:
 Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 565-A, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

Romero D.:
 Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Ctr Ciencias Genom, Program Ingn Genom, Cuernavaca 62210, Morelos, Mexico
ISSN: 00219193
Editorial
AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY, 1752 N ST NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20036-2904 USA, Estados Unidos America
Tipo de documento: Article
Volumen: 190 Número: 12
Páginas: 4189-4197
WOS Id: 000256493400009
ID de PubMed: 18424522
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