Cells of Escherichia coli which enter a phase of starvation for P i induce the synthesis of the nucleotide guanosine 3 ,5 -bispyrophosphate (ppGpp). This induction is relA independent but depends on the spoT gene product. A mutant unable to produce ppGpp is impaired in the expression of two genes which belong to the pho regulon, a defect which is dependent on the product of spoT. We suggest that ppGpp is essential for the proper induction of the genes which belong to the pho regulon.
The bacterial N-3-oxo-dodecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C12) has critical roles in both inter-bacterial communication and inter-kingdom signaling. The ability of C12 to down-regulate production of the key pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) in stimulated macrophages was suggested to contribute to the establishment of chronic infections by opportunistic Gram-negative bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We show that in contrast to TNFα suppression, C12 amplifies production of the major anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine RAW264.7 macrophages as well as peritoneal macrophages. Furthermore, C12 increases IL-10 mRNA level and IL-10 promoter reporter activity in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages, indicating that C12 modulates IL-10 expression at the transcriptional level. Finally, C12 substantially potentiated LPS-stimulated NFκB DNA-binding level, and prolonged p38 MAP kinase phosphorylation in the RAW264.7 macrophages, suggesting that increased transcriptional activity of NFκB and/or p38-activated transcription factors serves to up-regulate IL-10 production in macrophages exposed to both LPS and C12. These findings reveal another part of the complex array of host transitions through which opportunistic bacteria down-regulate immune responses in order to flourish and establish a chronic infection.
The integrase (Int) proteins of coliphages HK022 and lambda, are phosphorylated in one or more of their tyrosine residues. In Int of HK022 the phosphorylated residue(s) belong to its core-binding/catalytic domains. Wzc, a protein tyrosine kinase of Escherichia coli, is not required for Int phosphorylation in vivo, however, it can transphosphorylate the conserved Tyr(342) catalytic residue of Int in vitro. Int purified from cells that overexpress Wzc has a reduced activity in vitro. In vivo, the lysogenization of wild type HK022 as well as of lambda is not affected by the overexpression of Wzc. However, the nin5 mutant of lambda, which lacks a protein-tyrosine phosphatase gene, shows a significantly reduced lysogenization. It is suggested that phosphorylation of Int by Wzc down regulates the activity of Int.
In phosphate-starved cells ofEscherichia coli, the synthesis of alkaline phosphatase and some additional periplasmic proteins is derepressed. One of these proteins, which does not appear in a phoSconstitutive strain, has been identified as the periplasmic phosphate-binding protein. Alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) of Escherichia coli is a periplasmic enzyme and its synthesis is strongly derepressed when the cells are starved for inorganic phosphate (Pi). The
The int gene of bacteriophage HK022, coding for the integrase protein, was cloned in a mammalian expression vector downstream of the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. Green monkey kidney cells (COS-1) and mouse embryo fibroblast cells (NIH3T3) transiently transfected with the recombinant plasmid express the integrase protein. Co-transfection of this plasmid with reporter plasmids for site-specific recombination and PCR analyses show that the integrase promotes site-specific integration as well as excision. These reactions occurred without the need to supply integration host factor and excisionase, the accessory proteins that are required for integrase-promoted site-specific recombination in vitro as well as in the natural host Escherichia coli.
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