Identification and characterization of a direct activator of a gene transfer agent

TY - JOUR

T1 - Identification and characterization of a direct activator of a gene transfer agent

AU - Fogg, Paul Christopher Michael

N1 - © The Author(s) 2019

PY - 2019/2/5

Y1 - 2019/2/5

N2 - Gene transfer agents (GTAs) are thought to be ancient bacteriophages that have been co-opted into serving their host and can now transfer any gene between bacteria. Production of GTAs is controlled by several global regulators through unclear mechanisms. In Rhodobacter capsulatus, gene rcc01865 encodes a putative regulatory protein that is essential for GTA production. Here, I show that rcc01865 (hereafter gafA) encodes a transcriptional regulator that binds to the GTA promoter to initiate production of structural and DNA packaging components. Expression of gafA is in turn controlled by the pleiotropic regulator protein CtrA and the quorum-sensing regulator GtaR. GafA and CtrA work together to promote GTA maturation and eventual release through cell lysis. Identification of GafA as a direct GTA regulator allows the first integrated regulatory model to be proposed and paves the way for discovery of GTAs in other species that possess gafA homologues.

AB - Gene transfer agents (GTAs) are thought to be ancient bacteriophages that have been co-opted into serving their host and can now transfer any gene between bacteria. Production of GTAs is controlled by several global regulators through unclear mechanisms. In Rhodobacter capsulatus, gene rcc01865 encodes a putative regulatory protein that is essential for GTA production. Here, I show that rcc01865 (hereafter gafA) encodes a transcriptional regulator that binds to the GTA promoter to initiate production of structural and DNA packaging components. Expression of gafA is in turn controlled by the pleiotropic regulator protein CtrA and the quorum-sensing regulator GtaR. GafA and CtrA work together to promote GTA maturation and eventual release through cell lysis. Identification of GafA as a direct GTA regulator allows the first integrated regulatory model to be proposed and paves the way for discovery of GTAs in other species that possess gafA homologues.

KW - ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANCE

KW - HORIZONTAL GENE-TRANSFER

KW - BACTERIAL EVOLUTION

KW - GENE-REGULATION

KW - TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR

KW - Bacteriophages

UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-08526-1

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-019-08526-1

DO - 10.1038/s41467-019-08526-1

M3 - Article

VL - 10

SP - 595

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

SN - 2041-1723

IS - 1

M1 - 595

ER -