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PMID: 19165149 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Gene dosage compensation calibrates four regulatory RNAs to control Vibrio cholerae quorum sensing.

The EMBO journal ·Vol. 28 ·No. 4 ·2009-02-18 ·Pages 429-39

Svenningsen SL, Tu KC, Bassler BL

Abstract

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of cell-to-cell communication that allows bacteria to coordinately regulate gene expression in response to changes in cell-population density. At the core of the Vibrio cholerae quorum-sensing signal transduction pathway reside four homologous small RNAs (sRNAs), named the quorum regulatory RNAs 1-4 (Qrr1-4). The four Qrr sRNAs are functionally redundant. That is, expression of any one of them is sufficient for wild-type quorum-sensing behaviour. Here, we show that the combined action of two feedback loops, one involving the sRNA-activator LuxO and one involving the sRNA-target HapR, promotes gene dosage compensation between the four qrr genes. Gene dosage compensation adjusts the total Qrr1-4 sRNA pool and provides the molecular mechanism underlying sRNA redundancy. The dosage compensation mechanism is exquisitely sensitive to small perturbations in Qrr levels. Precisely maintained Qrr levels are required to direct the proper timing and correct patterns of expression of quorum-sensing-regulated target genes.

MeSH Terms
Bacterial Proteins/metabolism Base Sequence Calibration Dosage Compensation, Genetic Flow Cytometry/methods Gene Deletion Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Models, Biological Molecular Sequence Data Mutation Phosphoproteins/metabolism Quorum Sensing/genetics RNA/metabolism Repressor Proteins/metabolism Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid Vibrio cholerae/metabolism
Chemicals
Bacterial Proteins LuxO protein, Vibrio harveyi LuxU protein, Vibrio Phosphoproteins Repressor Proteins RNA
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Svenningsen Sine L
Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544-1014, USA.
Tu Kimberly C
Bassler Bonnie L
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Article Info
Journal
The EMBO journal
Abbr.
EMBO J
ISSN
1460-2075
DOI
10.1038/emboj.2008.300
Published
2009-02-18
Epub
2009-00-22
Pages
429-39
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
8208664
PMCID
PMC2632942
Subset
IM
Grants
NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM065859 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · R37 GM065859 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · GM065859-05A1 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1038/emboj.2008.300 PMC Full Text View journal details
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