Adaptor protein MecA is a negative regulator of the expression of late competence genes in Streptococcus thermophilus.

ABSTRACT: In Streptococcus thermophilus, the ComRS regulatory system governs the transcriptional level of comX expression and, hence, controls the early stage of competence development. The present work focuses on the posttranslational control of the activity of the sigma factor ComX and, therefore, on the late stage of competence regulation. In silico analysis performed on the S. thermophilus genome revealed the presence of a homolog of mecA (mecA(St)), which codes for the adaptor protein that is involved in ComK degradation by ClpCP in Bacillus subtilis. Using reporter strains and microarray experiments, we showed that MecA(St) represses late competence genes without affecting the early competence stage under conditions that are not permissive for competence development. In addition, this repressi

SUBMITTER: Boutry C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3302459 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature