Bimodal Expression of the Salmonella Typhimurium spv Operon. 2018

Ioannis Passaris, and Alexander Cambré, and Sander K Govers, and Abram Aertsen
Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems (MS), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.

The well-studied spv operon of Salmonellatyphimurium is important for causing full virulence in mice and both the regulation and function of the Spv proteins have been characterized extensively over the past several decades. Using quantitative single-cell fluorescence microscopy, we demonstrate the spv regulon to display a bimodal expression pattern that originates in the bimodal expression of the SpvR activator. The spv expression pattern is influenced by growth conditions and the specific Styphimurium strain used, but does not require Salmonella-specific virulence regulators. By monitoring real-time promoter kinetics, we reveal that SpvA has the ability to impart negative feedback on spvABCD expression without affecting spvR expression. Together, our data suggest that the SpvA protein counteracts the positive feedback loop imposed by SpvR, and could thus be responsible for dampening spvABCD expression and coordinating virulence protein production in time. The results presented here yield new insights in the intriguing regulation of the spv operon and adds this operon to the growing list of virulence factors exhibiting marked expression heterogeneity in Styphimurium.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009876 Operon In bacteria, a group of metabolically related genes, with a common promoter, whose transcription into a single polycistronic MESSENGER RNA is under the control of an OPERATOR REGION. Operons
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
D012486 Salmonella typhimurium A serotype of Salmonella enterica that is a frequent agent of Salmonella gastroenteritis in humans. It also causes PARATYPHOID FEVER. Salmonella typhimurium LT2
D014157 Transcription Factors Endogenous substances, usually proteins, which are effective in the initiation, stimulation, or termination of the genetic transcription process. Transcription Factor,Factor, Transcription,Factors, Transcription
D015964 Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Any of the processes by which cytoplasmic or intercellular factors influence the differential control of gene action in bacteria. Bacterial Gene Expression Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression, Bacterial,Regulation, Gene Expression, Bacterial
D037521 Virulence Factors Those components of an organism that determine its capacity to cause disease but are not required for its viability per se. Two classes have been characterized: TOXINS, BIOLOGICAL and surface adhesion molecules that effect the ability of the microorganism to invade and colonize a host. (From Davis et al., Microbiology, 4th ed. p486) Pathogenicity Factor,Pathogenicity Factors,Virulence Factor,Factor, Pathogenicity,Factor, Virulence,Factors, Pathogenicity,Factors, Virulence

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