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Identification and transcriptional control of the genes encoding the Caulobacter crescentus ClpXP protease.

ABSTRACT: The region of the Caulobacter crescentus chromosome harboring the genes for the ClpXP protease was isolated and characterized. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of the C. crescentus ClpP and ClpX proteins with those of their homologues from several gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria revealed stronger conservation for the ATPase regulatory subunit (ClpX) than for the peptidase subunit (ClpP). The C. crescentus clpX gene was shown by complementation analysis to be functional in Escherichia coli. However, clpX from E. coli was not able to substitute for the essential nature of the clpX gene in C. crescentus. The clpP and clpX genes are separated on the C. crescentus chromosome by an open reading frame pointing in the opposite direction from the clp genes, and transcription of clpP and clpX was found to be uncoupled. clpP is transcribed as a monocistronic unit with a promoter (PP1) located immediately upstream of the 5' end of the gene and a terminator structure following its 3' end. PP1 is under heat shock control and is induced upon entry of the cells into the stationary phase. At least three promoters for clpX (PX1, PX2, and PX3) were mapped in the clpP-clpX intergenic region. In contrast to PP1, the clpX promoters were found to be downregulated after heat shock but were also subject to growth phase control. In addition, the clpP and clpX promoters showed different activity patterns during the cell cycle. Together, these results demonstrate that the genes coding for the peptidase and the regulatory subunits of the ClpXP protease are under independent transcriptional control in C. crescentus. Determination of the numbers of ClpP and ClpX molecules per cell suggested that ClpX is the limiting component compared with ClpP.

SUBMITTER: Osteras M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC93758 | biostudies-literature | 1999 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Identification and transcriptional control of the genes encoding the Caulobacter crescentus ClpXP protease.

Osterås M M Stotz A A Schmid Nuoffer S S Jenal U U

Journal of bacteriology 19990501 10

The region of the Caulobacter crescentus chromosome harboring the genes for the ClpXP protease was isolated and characterized. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of the C. crescentus ClpP and ClpX proteins with those of their homologues from several gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria revealed stronger conservation for the ATPase regulatory subunit (ClpX) than for the peptidase subunit (ClpP). The C. crescentus clpX gene was shown by complementation analysis to be functional in ...[more]

PMID: 10322004

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Project description:In Caulobacter crescentus, timely degradation of several proteins by the ClpXP protease is critical for proper cell cycle progression. During the cell cycle, the ClpXP protease, the substrate CtrA, and many other proteins are localized to the stalked pole dependent on a polar interaction hub composed of PopZ protein oligomers. Prior work suggests that the localization of ClpXP, protease substrates, and cofactors is needed for recognition of substrates, such as CtrA, by ClpXP. Here, we formally test this hypothesis by examining the role of PopZ in ClpXP activity and find, surprisingly, that CtrA degradation is enhanced in cells lacking polar localization due to loss of PopZ. The ClpXP adaptor CpdR is required for this enhanced degradation of CtrA and other adaptor-dependent substrates, but adaptor-independent substrate degradation is not affected upon loss of PopZ. We find that overexpression of PopZ also leads to faster degradation of CtrA but is likely due to nonphysiologically relevant recognition of CtrA by ClpXP alone, as loss of CpdR does not affect this enhancement. Our main conclusion is that loss of PopZ, and therefore loss of polar localization, does not result in the loss of ClpXP-regulated proteolysis, as would be predicted from a model which requires polar localization of ClpXP for its activation. Rather, our data point to a model where PopZ normally restrains ClpXP proteolysis by promoting the inactivation of the CpdR adaptor, perhaps through the activity and localization of the CckA kinase.IMPORTANCE Regulated proteolysis is critical for the cell cycle progression of bacteria, such as Caulobacter crescentus According to one model, this regulated proteolysis requires localization of the ClpXP protease at the stalked pole for its subsequent degradation of substrates, such as CtrA. This study offers evidence that supports an alternative model to explain how localization might influence protein degradation. Using a delocalized in vivo system created by the deletion of a polar organizing protein, PopZ, we show that activation of the ClpXP protease is independent of its polar localization. The data point to a role for PopZ in restraining ClpXP activity, likely by controlling the activity of upstream regulators of protease activity, such as CckA, though changes in its localization.

Project description:In this study, we characterize the response of the free-living oligotrophic alphaproteobacterium Caulobacter crescentus to low temperatures by global transcriptomic analysis. Our results showed that 656 genes were upregulated and 619 were downregulated at least 2-fold after a temperature downshift. The identified differentially expressed genes (DEG) belong to several functional categories, notably inorganic ion transport and metabolism, and a subset of these genes had their expression confirmed by reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). Several genes belonging to the ferric uptake regulator (Fur) regulon were downregulated, indicating that iron homeostasis is relevant for adaptation to cold. Several upregulated genes encode proteins that interact with nucleic acids, particularly RNA: cspA, cspB, and the DEAD box RNA helicases rhlE, dbpA, and rhlB. Moreover, 31 small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs), including the cell cycle-regulated noncoding RNA (ncRNA) CcnA, were upregulated, indicating that posttranscriptional regulation is important for the cold stress response. Interestingly, several genes related to transport were upregulated under cold stress, including three AcrB-like cation/multidrug efflux pumps, the nitrate/nitrite transport system, and the potassium transport genes kdpFABC. Further characterization showed that kdpA is upregulated in a potassium-limited medium and at a low temperature in a SigT-independent way. kdpA mRNA is less stable in rho and rhlE mutant strains, but while the expression is positively regulated by RhlE, it is negatively regulated by Rho. A kdpA-deleted strain was generated, and its viability in response to osmotic, acidic, or cold stresses was determined. The implications of such variation in the gene expression for cold adaptation are discussed. IMPORTANCE Low-temperature stress is an important factor for nucleic acid stability and must be circumvented in order to maintain the basic cell processes, such as transcription and translation. The oligotrophic lifestyle presents further challenges to ensure the proper nutrient uptake and osmotic balance in an environment of slow nutrient flow. Here, we show that in Caulobacter crescentus, the expression of the genes involved in cation transport and homeostasis is altered in response to cold, which could lead to a decrease in iron uptake and an increase in nitrogen and high-affinity potassium transport by the Kdp system. This previously uncharacterized regulation of the Kdp transporter has revealed a new mechanism for adaptation to low temperatures that may be relevant for oligotrophic bacteria.

Project description:BackgroundIn the alpha subclass of proteobacteria iron homeostasis is controlled by diverse iron responsive regulators. Caulobacter crescentus, an important freshwater α-proteobacterium, uses the ferric uptake repressor (Fur) for such purpose. However, the impact of the iron availability on the C. crescentus transcriptome and an overall perspective of the regulatory networks involved remain unknown.ResultsIn this work we report the identification of iron-responsive and Fur-regulated genes in C. crescentus using microarray-based global transcriptional analyses. We identified 42 genes that were strongly upregulated both by mutation of fur and by iron limitation condition. Among them, there are genes involved in iron uptake (four TonB-dependent receptor gene clusters, and feoAB), riboflavin biosynthesis and genes encoding hypothetical proteins. Most of these genes are associated with predicted Fur binding sites, implicating them as direct targets of Fur-mediated repression. These data were validated by β-galactosidase and EMSA assays for two operons encoding putative transporters. The role of Fur as a positive regulator is also evident, given that 27 genes were downregulated both by mutation of fur and under low-iron condition. As expected, this group includes many genes involved in energy metabolism, mostly iron-using enzymes. Surprisingly, included in this group are also TonB-dependent receptors genes and the genes fixK, fixT and ftrB encoding an oxygen signaling network required for growth during hypoxia. Bioinformatics analyses suggest that positive regulation by Fur is mainly indirect. In addition to the Fur modulon, iron limitation altered expression of 113 more genes, including induction of genes involved in Fe-S cluster assembly, oxidative stress and heat shock response, as well as repression of genes implicated in amino acid metabolism, chemotaxis and motility.ConclusionsUsing a global transcriptional approach, we determined the C. crescentus iron stimulon. Many but not all of iron responsive genes were directly or indirectly controlled by Fur. The iron limitation stimulon overlaps with other regulatory systems, such as the RpoH and FixK regulons. Altogether, our results showed that adaptation of C. crescentus to iron limitation not only involves increasing the transcription of iron-acquisition systems and decreasing the production of iron-using proteins, but also includes novel genes and regulatory mechanisms.

Dataset Information

Identification and transcriptional control of the genes encoding the Caulobacter crescentus ClpXP protease.

Publications

Identification and transcriptional control of the genes encoding the Caulobacter crescentus ClpXP protease.

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