title: Regulation of the pAD1-encoded sex pheromone response in Enterococcus faecalis: nucleotide sequence analysis of traA.
abstract: The Enterococcus faecalis plasmid pAD1 conjugatively transfers in response to a sex pheromone, cAD1, excreted by potential recipient cells. A key determinant responsible for regulation of pAD1 transfer is traA, which encodes a negative regulator also believed to function in signal sensing. In this study, we analyzed the nucleotide sequence and transcription of traA. A protein of 319 amino acids with a molecular weight of 37,856 was inferred and found to exhibit limited homology with several DNA-binding proteins. Analysis of Tn917-lac insertions resulting in transcriptional lacZ fusions within the 3' end of the traA transcript showed that it overlaps slightly with a convergently-transcribed C-region transcript. Insertional mutations affecting TraA repressor function and signal sensing functions were localized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-0402.
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Pontius
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Clewell
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000235:genetics*; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010675:Pheromones; D010957:Plasmids; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D010675:Pheromones; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins