title: The alginate regulator AlgR and an associated sensor FimS are required for twitching motility in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
abstract: Mucoid strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients produce large amounts of the exopolysaccharide alginate. AlgR has long been considered a key regulator of alginate production, but its cognate sensor has not been identified. Here we show that AlgR is required for twitching motility, which is a form of bacterial surface translocation mediated by type 4 fimbriae. Adjacent to algR we have identified a sensor gene (fimS), which is also required for twitching motility. However, FimS does not appear to be required for alginate production in mucoid strains. FimS and AlgR are representative of a new subclass of two-component transmitter-receiver regulatory systems. The alternative sigma factor AlgU also affects both alginate production and twitching motility. Therefore, these two virulence determinants appear to be closely associated and coordinately regulated.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Whitchurch
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Alm
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Mattick
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012808:Sigma Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors
chemical_list: C079619:AlgU protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa; D000464:Alginates; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D012808:Sigma Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors; C072452:algP protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa