Novel organisation and regulation of the pic promoter from enteroaggregative and uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Munirah M Alhammadi, Rita E Godfrey, Joseph O Ingram, Gurdamanjit Singh, Camilla L Bathurst, Stephen J W Busby*, Douglas F Browning

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

The serine protease autotransporters of the Enterobacteriaceae (SPATEs) are a large family of virulence factors commonly found in enteric bacteria. These secreted virulence factors have diverse functions during bacterial infection, including adhesion, aggregation and cell toxicity. One such SPATE, the Pic mucinase (protein involved in colonisation) cleaves mucin, allowing enteric bacterial cells to utilise mucin as a carbon source and to penetrate the gut mucus lining, thereby increasing mucosal colonisation. The pic gene is widely distributed within the Enterobacteriaceae, being found in human pathogens, such as enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC), uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) and Shigella flexneri 2a. As the pic promoter regions from EAEC strain 042 and UPEC strain CFT073 differ, we have investigated the regulation of each promoter. Here, using in vivo and in vitro techniques, we show that both promoters are activated by the global transcription factor, CRP (cyclic AMP receptor protein), but the architectures of the EAEC and the UPEC pic promoter differ. Expression from both pic promoters is repressed by the nucleoid-associated factor, Fis, and maximal promoter activity occurs when cells are grown in minimal medium. As CRP activates transcription in conditions of nutrient depletion, whilst Fis levels are maximal in nutrient-rich environments, the regulation of the EAEC and UPEC pic promoters is consistent with Pic's nutritional role in scavenging mucin as a suitable carbon source during colonisation and infection.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1393-1406
Number of pages14
JournalVirulence
Volume13
Issue number1
Early online date16 Aug 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2022

Keywords

  • Carbon/metabolism
  • Escherichia coli/genetics
  • Escherichia coli Infections/microbiology
  • Escherichia coli Proteins/genetics
  • Mucins/metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Serine Endopeptidases/genetics
  • Uropathogenic Escherichia coli/genetics
  • Virulence Factors/genetics

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