Identification and nucleotide sequence of the delta-lysin gene, hld, adjacent to the accessory gene regulator (agr) of Staphylococcus aureus.
A Tn551 insertional mutation in the accessory gene regulator (agr) locus of the Staphylococcus aureus chromosome resulted in the decreased production of at least seven extracellular toxins and enzymes and a simultaneous increase in the production of protein A and coagulase (Recsei et al. 1986). Adjacent to this locus we have now identified another gene, hld, transcribed into a 0.5 kb RNA which codes for the staphylococcal delta-lysin. The expression of hld was totally repressed in a strain carrying the agr insertional mutation. Hybridization with strand-specific probes and primer extension analysis revealed that hld and agr are transcribed in opposite directions, starting 188 nucleotides apart. The hld gene is mainly expressed during the post-exponential growth phase and is totally repressed during early exponential growth. Determination of hld mRNA half-life in different growth phases indicated that this regulation is at the level of transcription.
Janzon
L
L
Department of Bacteriology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Löfdahl
S
S
Arvidson
S
S
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C025994:delta hemolysin protein, Staphylococcus aureus