The environmentally-regulated interplay between three-dimensional chromatin organisation and transcription of the Escherichia coli proVWX operon
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ABSTRACT: Nucleoid associated proteins maintain the architecture of bacterial chromosomes and regulate gene expression. Thus, their role as transcription factors may involve three-dimensional chromosome re-modelling. Here, we provide the first in vivo evidence supporting this hypothesis. Using RT-qPCR and 3C-qPCR, we show that activation of the H-NS-regulated, osmosensitive proVWX operon of Escherichia coli in response to a hyperosmotic shock involves the destabilization of H-NS-mediated bridges anchored between the proVWX downstream and upstream regulatory elements (DRE and URE), and between the DRE and ygaY that lies immediately downstream of proVWX. The re-establishment of these bridges in cells adapted to hyperosmolarity represses the operon. While the DRE—H-NS—URE bridge is disrupted by hyperosmolarity, the DRE—H-NS—ygaY bridge weakens and requires active transcription to be dismantled. H-NS and H-NS-like proteins are wide-spread amongst bacteria, suggesting that structural regulation of expression may be a typical feature of transcriptional control in bacteria.
ORGANISM(S): Escherichia coli str. K-12 substr. MG1655
PROVIDER: GSE214511 | GEO | 2023/09/25
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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