Global regulation by (p)ppGpp and CodY in Streptococcus mutans. 2008

José A Lemos, and Marcelle M Nascimento, and Vanessa K Lin, and Jacqueline Abranches, and Robert A Burne
Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Center for Oral Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York 14642, USA. jose_lemos@urmc.rochester.edu

The RelA, RelP, and RelQ enzymes are responsible for the production of the alarmone (p)ppGpp in Streptococcus mutans. A strain lacking all three synthetases (DeltarelAPQ) does not grow in minimal medium lacking the branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) leucine or valine but grows well if isoleucine is also omitted. Here, we investigated whether there was a correlation between growth in the absence of leucine and valine with (p)ppGpp pools and the activation of CodY. By using a combination of single, double, and triple mutants lacking the (p)ppGpp synthetase enzymes, we demonstrated that the ability to grow in the absence of leucine or valine required basal levels of (p)ppGpp production by RelP and RelQ. The introduction of a codY mutation into the DeltarelAPQ strain fully restored growth in medium lacking leucine or valine, revealing that the growth-defective phenotype of DeltarelAPQ was directly linked to CodY. Lowering GTP levels through the addition of decoyinine did not alleviate CodY repression or affect the expression of genes involved in BCAA biosynthesis, suggesting that S. mutans CodY is not activated by GTP. The results of phenotypic studies revealed that the codY mutant had a reduced capacity to form biofilms and that its growth was more sensitive to low pH, showing a role for CodY in two key virulence properties of S. mutans. Microarray results revealed the extent of the CodY regulon. Notably, the identification of putative CodY-binding boxes upstream of genes that were downregulated in the codY mutant indicates that CodY may also function as a transcriptional activator in S. mutans.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007930 Leucine An essential branched-chain amino acid important for hemoglobin formation. L-Leucine,Leucine, L-Isomer,L-Isomer Leucine,Leucine, L Isomer
D008025 Ligases A class of enzymes that catalyze the formation of a bond between two substrate molecules, coupled with the hydrolysis of a pyrophosphate bond in ATP or a similar energy donor. (Dorland, 28th ed) EC 6. Ligase,Synthetases,Synthetase
D011401 Promoter Regions, Genetic DNA sequences which are recognized (directly or indirectly) and bound by a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase during the initiation of transcription. Highly conserved sequences within the promoter include the Pribnow box in bacteria and the TATA BOX in eukaryotes. rRNA Promoter,Early Promoters, Genetic,Late Promoters, Genetic,Middle Promoters, Genetic,Promoter Regions,Promoter, Genetic,Promotor Regions,Promotor, Genetic,Pseudopromoter, Genetic,Early Promoter, Genetic,Genetic Late Promoter,Genetic Middle Promoters,Genetic Promoter,Genetic Promoter Region,Genetic Promoter Regions,Genetic Promoters,Genetic Promotor,Genetic Promotors,Genetic Pseudopromoter,Genetic Pseudopromoters,Late Promoter, Genetic,Middle Promoter, Genetic,Promoter Region,Promoter Region, Genetic,Promoter, Genetic Early,Promoter, rRNA,Promoters, Genetic,Promoters, Genetic Middle,Promoters, rRNA,Promotor Region,Promotors, Genetic,Pseudopromoters, Genetic,Region, Genetic Promoter,Region, Promoter,Region, Promotor,Regions, Genetic Promoter,Regions, Promoter,Regions, Promotor,rRNA Promoters
D004251 DNA Transposable Elements Discrete segments of DNA which can excise and reintegrate to another site in the genome. Most are inactive, i.e., have not been found to exist outside the integrated state. DNA transposable elements include bacterial IS (insertion sequence) elements, Tn elements, the maize controlling elements Ac and Ds, Drosophila P, gypsy, and pogo elements, the human Tigger elements and the Tc and mariner elements which are found throughout the animal kingdom. DNA Insertion Elements,DNA Transposons,IS Elements,Insertion Sequence Elements,Tn Elements,Transposable Elements,Elements, Insertion Sequence,Sequence Elements, Insertion,DNA Insertion Element,DNA Transposable Element,DNA Transposon,Element, DNA Insertion,Element, DNA Transposable,Element, IS,Element, Insertion Sequence,Element, Tn,Element, Transposable,Elements, DNA Insertion,Elements, DNA Transposable,Elements, IS,Elements, Tn,Elements, Transposable,IS Element,Insertion Element, DNA,Insertion Elements, DNA,Insertion Sequence Element,Sequence Element, Insertion,Tn Element,Transposable Element,Transposable Element, DNA,Transposable Elements, DNA,Transposon, DNA,Transposons, DNA
D006158 Guanosine Pentaphosphate Guanosine 5'-triphosphate 2'(3')-diphosphate. A guanine nucleotide containing five phosphate groups. Three phosphate groups are esterified to the sugar moiety in the 5' position and the other two in the 2' or 3' position. This nucleotide serves as a messenger to turn off the synthesis of ribosomal RNA when amino acids are not available for protein synthesis. (p)ppGpp,Alarmone,Alarmone pppGpp,Bacterial Magic Spot pppGpp,ppprGpp,Guanosine 3'-Diphosphate 5'-Triphosphate,3'-Diphosphate 5'-Triphosphate, Guanosine,5'-Triphosphate, Guanosine 3'-Diphosphate,Guanosine 3' Diphosphate 5' Triphosphate,Pentaphosphate, Guanosine,pppGpp, Alarmone
D006159 Guanosine Tetraphosphate Guanosine 5'-diphosphate 2'(3')-diphosphate. A guanine nucleotide containing four phosphate groups. Two phosphate groups are esterified to the sugar moiety in the 5' position and the other two in the 2' or 3' position. This nucleotide serves as a messenger to turn off the synthesis of ribosomal RNA when amino acids are not available for protein synthesis. Synonym: magic spot I. Alarmone ppGpp,Bacterial Magic Spot ppGpp,Guanosine 5'-(trihydrogen diphosphate), mono(trihydrogen diphosphate) (ester),Guanosine 5'-diphosphate 2'(3')-diphosphate,ppGpp,Guanosine 3'-Diphosphate 5'-Diphosphate,Guanosine 5'-Diphosphate 3'-Diphosphate,3'-Diphosphate 5'-Diphosphate, Guanosine,5'-Diphosphate 3'-Diphosphate, Guanosine,Guanosine 3' Diphosphate 5' Diphosphate,Guanosine 5' Diphosphate 3' Diphosphate,Tetraphosphate, Guanosine,ppGpp, Alarmone
D001426 Bacterial Proteins Proteins found in any species of bacterium. Bacterial Gene Products,Bacterial Gene Proteins,Gene Products, Bacterial,Bacterial Gene Product,Bacterial Gene Protein,Bacterial Protein,Gene Product, Bacterial,Gene Protein, Bacterial,Gene Proteins, Bacterial,Protein, Bacterial,Proteins, Bacterial
D001665 Binding Sites The parts of a macromolecule that directly participate in its specific combination with another molecule. Combining Site,Binding Site,Combining Sites,Site, Binding,Site, Combining,Sites, Binding,Sites, Combining
D013295 Streptococcus mutans A polysaccharide-producing species of STREPTOCOCCUS isolated from human dental plaque.
D014633 Valine A branched-chain essential amino acid that has stimulant activity. It promotes muscle growth and tissue repair. It is a precursor in the penicillin biosynthetic pathway. L-Valine,L Valine

Related Publications

José A Lemos, and Marcelle M Nascimento, and Vanessa K Lin, and Jacqueline Abranches, and Robert A Burne
January 2019, Microbiological research,
José A Lemos, and Marcelle M Nascimento, and Vanessa K Lin, and Jacqueline Abranches, and Robert A Burne
July 2020, MicrobiologyOpen,
José A Lemos, and Marcelle M Nascimento, and Vanessa K Lin, and Jacqueline Abranches, and Robert A Burne
April 2017, Applied and environmental microbiology,
José A Lemos, and Marcelle M Nascimento, and Vanessa K Lin, and Jacqueline Abranches, and Robert A Burne
August 2013, Journal of bacteriology,
José A Lemos, and Marcelle M Nascimento, and Vanessa K Lin, and Jacqueline Abranches, and Robert A Burne
August 2023, Microbiology spectrum,
José A Lemos, and Marcelle M Nascimento, and Vanessa K Lin, and Jacqueline Abranches, and Robert A Burne
May 1992, Journal of dental research,
José A Lemos, and Marcelle M Nascimento, and Vanessa K Lin, and Jacqueline Abranches, and Robert A Burne
February 2011, Journal of bacteriology,
José A Lemos, and Marcelle M Nascimento, and Vanessa K Lin, and Jacqueline Abranches, and Robert A Burne
January 2011, PloS one,
José A Lemos, and Marcelle M Nascimento, and Vanessa K Lin, and Jacqueline Abranches, and Robert A Burne
June 2012, BMC microbiology,
José A Lemos, and Marcelle M Nascimento, and Vanessa K Lin, and Jacqueline Abranches, and Robert A Burne
May 1995, Journal of bacteriology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!