Spatiotemporal regulation of the BarA/UvrY two-component signaling system

Identification of an ArgR-controlled promoter within the outermost region of the IS10R mobile element

The transposon Tn10 is a prevalent composite element often detected in enteric bacteria, including those obtained from clinical samples. The Tn10 is flanked by two IS10 elements that work together in mediating transposition. IS10-right (IS10R) promotes transposition, while IS10-left lacks a functional transposase and cannot transpose independently. IS10R contains a weak promoter crucial for transposase transcription (pIN), along with two outward-oriented promoters, pOUT and OUTIIp, which may influence the expression of adjacent genes flanking the transposition site. Here, we report the identification of a novel outward-facing promoter, pOUT70, and a functional translation initiation region (TIR) within the last 70 nucleotides of IS10R. Furthermore, we show that pOUT70 is negatively regulated by ArgR and positively controlled by IHF, and we demonstrate that pOUT70 enables growth phase-dependent expression of a truncated yet constitutively active version of the histidine kinase BarA. These findings underscore the significance of IS elements in enhancing downstream gene expression, and highlights the role of outward-facing promoters in derepressing virulence factors or acquiring antibiotic resistance.

IMPORTANCE

Mobile genetic elements are small DNA fragments that can relocate within the genome, causing either gene inactivation or enhanced gene expression. Our research identified a new functional promoter and mRNA translation region within the IS10R element, which is part of the widely distributed Tn10 transposon. We found that the global regulators ArgR and IHF control the activity of this promoter. Additionally, insertion of this mini-Tn10 derivative into the barA gene resulted in the expression of a truncated but constitutive active form of the BarA sensor kinase. Overall, our work sheds light on how mobile genetic elements could impact the physiology and virulence of opportunistic pathogenic bacteria.

Multiscale regulation of nutrient stress responses in Escherichia coli from chromatin structure to small regulatory RNAs

Recent research has indicated the presence of heterochromatin-like regions of extended protein occupancy and transcriptional silencing of bacterial genomes. We utilized an integrative approach to track chromatin structure and transcription in E. coli K-12 across a wide range of nutrient conditions. In the process, we identified multiple loci which act similarly to facultative heterochromatin in eukaryotes, normally silenced but permitting expression of genes under specific conditions. We also found a strong enrichment of small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) among the set of differentially expressed transcripts during nutrient stress. Using a newly developed bioinformatic pipeline, the transcription factors regulating sRNA expression were bioinformatically predicted, with experimental follow-up revealing novel relationships for 36 sRNA-transcription factors candidates. Direct regulation of sRNA expression was confirmed by mutational analysis for five sRNAs of metabolic interest: IsrB, CsrB and CsrC, GcvB, and GadY. Our integrative analysis thus reveals additional layers of complexity in the nutrient stress response in E. coli and provides a framework for revealing similar poorly understood regulatory logic in other organisms.

Current understandings of colibactin regulation

The biosynthetic machinery for the production of colibactin is encoded by 19 genes (clbA - S) within the pks pathogenicity island harboured by many E. coli of the B2-phylogroup. Colibactin is a potent genotoxic metabolite which causes DNA-damage and which has potential roles in microbial competition and fitness of pks+ bacteria. Colibactin has also been strongly implicated in the development of colorectal cancer. Given the genotoxicity of colibactin and the metabolic cost of its synthesis, the regulatory system governing the clb cluster is accordingly highly complex, and many of the mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this review we summarise the current understanding of regulation of colibactin biosynthesis by internal molecular components and how these factors are modulated by signals from the external environment.

Environmental adaptation and diversification of bacterial two-component systems

Bacterial two-component systems (TCS) are versatile signaling mechanisms that govern cellular responses to diverse environmental cues. These systems rely on phosphoryl-group transfers between histidine- and aspartate-containing modules of sensor histidine kinase and response regulator proteins. TCS diversity is shaped by the ecological niche of the bacterium, resulting in significant population-level variations. Consequently, orthologous TCSs can display considerable divergence throughout the signaling process. Here, we venture into the mechanisms governing the emergence of TCS variation, and explore the adaptation of orthologous TCS in bacteria with dissimilar lifestyles. The peculiar features of the bacterial adaptive response A/ultraviolet light repair Y (BarA/UvrY) and anoxic redox control B/anoxic redox control A (ArcB/ArcA) and their ortholog TCSs illustrate the remarkable capacity of TCSs to evolve and finely tune their signaling mechanisms, effectively addressing specific environmental challenges.