Project description:We used arrays to examine the overall transcriptional differences between WT K-12 E. coli, and EHEC 86-24 and their corresponding QseD (yjiE) mutants.
Project description:We used arrays to examine the overall transcriptional differences between WT K-12 E. coli, and EHEC 86-24 and their corresponding QseD (yjiE) mutants. Strains were grown to OD600 ~1.0, RNA was harvested, cDNA synthesized, fragmented, labeled and hybridized to the chips. Expression of the QseD mutants was compared to the corresponding WT.
Project description:Adherence of pathogenic Escherichia coli strains to intestinal epithelia is essential for infection. For enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) serotype O157:H7, we have previously demonstrated that multiple factors govern this pathogen’s adherence to HeLa cells (39). One of these factors is CadA, a lysine decarboxylase, and this protein has been proposed to negatively regulate virulence in several enteric pathogens. In the case of EHEC strains, CadA modulates expression of the intimin, an outer membrane adhesin involved in pathogenesis. Here, we experimentally inactivated cadA in O157:H7 strain 86-24 to investigate the role of this gene in EHEC adhesion to tissue culture monolayers, global gene expression patterns, and colonization of the infant rabbit intestine. As expected, the cadA mutant did not possess lysine decarboxylation activity and was hyper-adherent to tissue-culture cells. Adherence of the cadA mutant was nearly 2-fold greater than that of the wt and complementation of the cadA defect reduced adherence back to wt levels. Furthermore, the cadA mutant affected the expression of intimin protein. Disruption of the eae gene (encoding the intimin protein) in the cadA mutant significantly reduced its adherence to tissue-culture cells. However, adherence of the cadA eae double mutant was greater than that of an 86-24 eae mutant, suggesting that the enhanced adherence of the cadA mutant is not entirely attributable to enhanced expression of intimin in this background. Gene array analysis revealed that the cadA mutation significantly altered EHEC gene expression patterns; expression of 1332 genes was down-regulated and 132 genes up-regulated in the mutant compared to the wild type strain. Interestingly, the gene expression variation shows an EHEC-biased gene alteration including intergenic regions. Two putative adhesins: flagella and F9 fimbriae were up-regulated in the cadA mutant, suggestive of their association with adherence in absence of the Cad regulatory mechanism. Remarkably, in the infant rabbit model, the cadA mutant out-competed the wild type strain in the ileum but not in the cecum or mid-colon, raising the possibility that CadA negatively regulates EHEC pathogenicity in a tissue-specific fashion.
Project description:Adherence of pathogenic Escherichia coli strains to intestinal epithelia is essential for infection. For enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) serotype O157:H7, we have previously demonstrated that multiple factors govern this pathogenâs adherence to HeLa cells (39). One of these factors is CadA, a lysine decarboxylase, and this protein has been proposed to negatively regulate virulence in several enteric pathogens. In the case of EHEC strains, CadA modulates expression of the intimin, an outer membrane adhesin involved in pathogenesis. Here, we experimentally inactivated cadA in O157:H7 strain 86-24 to investigate the role of this gene in EHEC adhesion to tissue culture monolayers, global gene expression patterns, and colonization of the infant rabbit intestine. As expected, the cadA mutant did not possess lysine decarboxylation activity and was hyper-adherent to tissue-culture cells. Adherence of the cadA mutant was nearly 2-fold greater than that of the wt and complementation of the cadA defect reduced adherence back to wt levels. Furthermore, the cadA mutant affected the expression of intimin protein. Disruption of the eae gene (encoding the intimin protein) in the cadA mutant significantly reduced its adherence to tissue-culture cells. However, adherence of the cadA eae double mutant was greater than that of an 86-24 eae mutant, suggesting that the enhanced adherence of the cadA mutant is not entirely attributable to enhanced expression of intimin in this background. Gene array analysis revealed that the cadA mutation significantly altered EHEC gene expression patterns; expression of 1332 genes was down-regulated and 132 genes up-regulated in the mutant compared to the wild type strain. Interestingly, the gene expression variation shows an EHEC-biased gene alteration including intergenic regions. Two putative adhesins: flagella and F9 fimbriae were up-regulated in the cadA mutant, suggestive of their association with adherence in absence of the Cad regulatory mechanism. Remarkably, in the infant rabbit model, the cadA mutant out-competed the wild type strain in the ileum but not in the cecum or mid-colon, raising the possibility that CadA negatively regulates EHEC pathogenicity in a tissue-specific fashion. Experiment Overall Design: Arrays used as a starting point for further examination of the effects of the cadA deficiency. A limited number of biologically significant phenotypes and gene expression profiles were examined using qRT-PCR
Project description:Investigation of whole genome gene expression level changes in a Escherichia coli MG1655 K-12 ∆arcA mutant, compared to the wild-type strain. The mutations engineered into this strain produce a strain lacking the ArcA protein. The results are further described in the manuscript The response regulator ArcA uses a diverse binding site architechture to globally regulate carbon oxidation in E. coli
Project description:Investigation of whole genome gene expression level changes in a Escherichia coli MG1655 K-12 ?fnr mutant, compared to the wild-type strain. The mutations engineered into this strain produce a strain lacking the FNR protein. WT strains were grown under aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of Escherichia coli K-12 comparing luxS mutant LW12 with wild type W3110 exposure to 10mM or 30mM hydrogen peroxide.
Project description:Alkylation damage to DNA occurs when cells encounter alkylating agents in the environment or when active alkylators are generated by nitrosation of amino acids in metabolic pathways. To cope with DNA alkylation damage, cells have evolved genes that encode proteins with alkylation-specific DNA repair activities. It is notable that these repair systems are conserved from bacteria to humans. In Escherichia coli, cells exposed to a low concentration of an alkylating agent, such as N-methyl-N’-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) or methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), show a remarkable increase in resistance to both the lethal and mutagenic effects of subsequent high-level challenge treatments with the same or other alkylating agents. This increased resistance has been known as “adaptive response” to alkylation damage in DNA. To date, four genes have been identified as components of this response, ada, alkA, alkB and aidB. The ada gene encodes the Ada protein, which has the dual function of a transcriptional regulator for the genes involved in the adaptive response, and a methyltransferase that demethylates two methylated bases (O6meG and O4meT) and methylphosphotriesters produced by methylating agents in the sugar phosphate backbone. The differences between the wild-type and mutant strains were characterized at transcriptome levels. In addition, the global changes in gene expressions in response to alkylating agents (MMS), in E. coli K-12 W3110 and ada mutant strains were also analyzed. The analysis of time- and strain-dependent adaptive responses revealed the regulatory and physiological characteristics of the Ada-dependent adaptive response in E. coli.