Identification of DNA sequences recognized by VirF, the transcriptional activator of the Yersinia yop regulon.
Pathogenic bacteria of the genus Yersinia harbor a 70-kb plasmid required for virulence. The plasmid-encoded virulence proteins of yersiniae are positively regulated at the transcriptional level by the product of the virF gene, the key activator of the system. virF encodes a DNA-binding protein related to the AraC family of transcriptional activators. The VirF protein from Yersinia enterocolitica is a 30-kDa protein that forms dimers in vitro and that specifically binds to the promoter region of VirF-regulated genes. In this work, we determined the sequences of eight VirF-binding sites from four different genes, by DNase I or hydroxyl radical footprinting. The protected regions, about 40 bases long, were aligned, and a number of conserved residues were identified. A 13-bp sequence resembling TTTTaGYcTtTat (in which nucleotides conserved in > or = 60% of the sequences are in uppercase letters and y indicates C or T) appeared, either isolated or as an inverted repeat in each of the eight sites.
Microbial Pathogenesis Unit, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
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Wattiau
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Cornelis
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D018085:Regulon / Q000235:genetics; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D037521:Virulence Factors; D015007:Yersinia / Q000235:genetics*
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C088009:LcrG protein, Yersinia; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D037521:Virulence Factors; C063239:yopE protein, Yersinia; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases; C067571:yopH protein, Yersinia