title: Co-ordinate, temperature-sensitive regulation of the three Yersinia enterocolitica flagellin genes.
abstract: Yersinia enterocolitica cells, when cultured at 30 degrees C or below, are flagellated and motile. Cells cultured at 37 degrees C or above lack flagella and are non-motile. To identify flagellin genes that are a target of this temperature-dependent regulation, a library of Y. enterocolitica genomic inserts in a phage lambda vector was probed with the Salmonella typhimurium fliC (flagellin) gene. A DNA fragment subcloned from a recombinant phage which hybridizes with the probe complements a non-motile S. typhimurium fliC-fljB- (flagellin-minus) mutant. DNA sequence analysis shows that Y. enterocolitica contains three tandem flagellin genes, designated fleA, fleB and fleC. All three genes are co-ordinately transcribed at low, but not high, temperature from fliA-dependent (sigma F) promoters. Flagellin transcription arrests rapidly after upshift to 37 degrees C (host temperature). In contrast, flagellin transcription resumes only after several generations when cells cultured at 37 degrees C are downshifted to 28 degrees C.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015342:DNA Probes; D005408:Flagellin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012808:Sigma Factor / Q000502:physiology; D013696:Temperature; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015342:DNA Probes; C096722:FleA protein, Yersinia enterocolitica; C096721:FleB protein, Yersinia enterocolitica; C096720:FleC protein, Yersinia enterocolitica; C064971:FliA protein, Bacteria; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012808:Sigma Factor; D005408:Flagellin