Bacteria possess a signal transduction system, referred to as a two-component system, for adaptation to external stimuli. Each two-component system consists of a sensor protein-histidine kinase (HK) and a response regulator (RR), together forming a signal transduction pathway via histidyl-aspartyl phospho-relay. A total of 30 sensor HKs, including as yet uncharacterized putative HKs (BaeS, BasS, CreC, CusS, HydH, RstB, YedV, and YfhK), and a total of 34 RRs, including putative RRs (BaeR, BasR, CreB, CusR, HydG, RstA, YedW, YfhA, YgeK, and YhjB), have been suggested to exist in Escherichia coli. We have purified the carboxyl-terminal catalytic domain of 27 sensor HKs and the full-length protein of all 34 RRs to apparent homogeneity. Selfphosphorylation in vitro was detected for 25 HKs. The rate of self-phosphorylation differed among HKs, whereas the level of phosphorylation was generally co-related with the phosphorylation rate. However, the phosphorylation level was low for ArcB, HydH, NarQ, and NtrB even though the reaction rate was fast, whereas the level was high for the slow phosphorylation species BasS, CheA, and CreC. By using the phosphorylated HKs, we examined trans-phosphorylation in vitro of RRs for all possible combinations. Trans-phosphorylation of presumed cognate RRs by HKs was detected, for the first time, for eight pairs, BaeS-BaeR, BasS-BasR, CreC-CreB, CusS-CusR, HydH-HydG, RstB-RstA, YedV-YedW, and YfhK-YfhA. All trans-phosphorylation took place within less than 1/2 min, but the stability of phosphorylated RRs differed, indicating the involvement of de-phosphorylation control. In addition to the trans-phosphorylation between the cognate pairs, we detected trans-phosphorylation between about 3% of non-cognate HK-RR pairs, raising the possibility that the cross-talk in signal transduction takes place between two-component systems.

SummaryTranscriptional response of Escherichia coli upon exposure to external copper was studied using DNA microarray and in vivo and in vitro transcription assays. Transcription of three hitherto-identified copper-responsive genes, copA (copper efflux transporter), cueO (multicopper oxidase) and cusC (tripartite copper pump component) became maximum at 5 min after addition of copper sulphate, and thereafter decreased to the preshift levels within 30 min. Microarray analysis at 5 min after addition of copper indicated that a total of at least 29 genes including these three known genes were markedly and specifically affected (28 upregulated and one downregulated). Transcription of the divergent operons, cusCFB and cusRS , was found to be activated by CusR, which bound to a CusR box between the cusC and cusR promoters. Except for this site, the CusR box was not identified in the entire E. coli genome. On the other hand, transcription of copA and cueO was found to be activated by another copperresponsive factor CueR, which bound to a conserved inverted repeat sequence, CueR box. A total of 197 CueR boxes were identified on the E. coli genome, including the CueR box associated with the moa operon for molybdenum cofactor synthesis. At least 10 copper-induced genes were found to be under the control of CpxAR two-component system, indicating that copper is one of the signals for activation of the CpxAR system. In addition, transcription of yedWV , a putative two-component system, was activated by copper in CusR-dependent manner. Taken together we conclude that the copper-responsive genes are organized into a hierarchy of the regulation network, forming at least four regulons, i.e. CueR, CusR, CpxR and YedW regulons. These copper-responsive regulons appear to sense and respond to different concentrations of external copper.

CRP (cAMP receptor protein), the global regulator of genes for carbon source utilization in the absence of glucose, is the best-studied prokaryotic transcription factor. A total of 195 target promoters on the Escherichia coli genome have been proposed to be under the control of cAMP-bound CRP. Using the newly developed Genomic SELEX screening system of transcription factor-binding sequences, however, we have identified a total of at least 254 CRP-binding sites. Based on their location on the E. coli genome, we predict a total of at least 183 novel regulation target operons, altogether with the 195 hitherto known targets, reaching to the minimum of 378 promoters as the regulation targets of cAMP-CRP. All the promoters selected from the newly identified targets and examined by using the lacZ reporter assay were found to be under the control of CRP, indicating that the Genomic SELEX screening allowed to identify the CRP targets with high accuracy. Based on the functions of novel target genes, we conclude that CRP plays a key regulatory role in the whole processes from the selective transport of carbon sources, the glycolysis-gluconeogenesis switching to the metabolisms downstream of glycolysis, including tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) pathway and aerobic respiration. One unique regulation mode is that a single and the same CRP molecule bound within intergenic regions often regulates both of divergently transcribed operons.

The ability to respond to stress is at the core of an organism's survival. The hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine play a central role in stress responses in mammals, which require the synchronized interaction of the whole neuroendocrine system. Mammalian adrenergic receptors are G-coupled protein receptors (GPCRs); bacteria, however, sense these hormones through histidine sensor kinases (HKs). HKs autophosphorylate in response to signals and transfer this phosphate to response regulators (RRs). Two bacterial adrenergic receptors have been identified in EHEC, QseC and QseE, with QseE being downstream of QseC in this signaling cascade. Here we mapped the QseC signaling cascade in the deadly pathogen enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), which exploits this signaling system to promote disease. Through QseC, EHEC activates expression of metabolic, virulence and stress response genes, synchronizing the cell response to these stress hormones. Coordination of these responses is achieved by QseC phosphorylating three of the thirty-two EHEC RRs. The QseB RR, which is QseC's cognate RR, activates the flagella regulon which controls bacteria motility and chemotaxis. The QseF RR, which is also phosphorylated by the QseE adrenergic sensor, coordinates expression of virulence genes involved in formation of lesions in the intestinal epithelia by EHEC, and the bacterial SOS stress response. The third RR, KdpE, controls potassium uptake, osmolarity, and also the formation of lesions in the intestine. Adrenergic regulation of bacterial gene expression shares several parallels with mammalian adrenergic signaling having profound effects in the whole organism. Understanding adrenergic regulation of a bacterial cell is a powerful approach for studying the underlying mechanisms of stress and cellular survival.