Promoter selectivity of the Bacillus subtilis response regulator DegU, a positive regulator of the fla/che operon and sacB
2008

How DegU Regulates Gene Expression in Bacillus subtilis

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Tsukahara Kensuke, Ogura Mitsuo

Primary Institution: Institute of Oceanic Research and Development, Tokai University

Hypothesis

What factors determine promoter selectivity of DegU-P and unphosphorylated DegU?

Conclusion

DegU positively regulates flgB and sacB through its binding to the promoter regions.

Supporting Evidence

  • Unphosphorylated DegU binds to two regions in the fla/che regulatory region.
  • DegU-P prefers binding to direct repeats but not to inverted repeats in the sacB promoter.
  • Changing the direct repeat to an inverted repeat in the sacB promoter results in degS-independent regulation.

Takeaway

DegU is a protein that helps bacteria turn on certain genes. Depending on its form, it can either help or not help in this process.

Methodology

The study involved mutational analysis, footprint analysis, and lacZ fusion analysis to examine the binding of DegU to various promoter regions.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2180-8-8

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