title: zur: a Zn(2+)-responsive regulatory element of Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: A putative operon encoding a probable zinc-responsive regulatory element (zur) and components of an ABC-type transporter (mreA mreB) have been characterized in Staphylococcus aureus. The zur gene was inactivated but apparently this did not alter Zn(2+) uptake. Expression of mreAB zur is at a low level under a range of ion conditions. To allow inducible expression of the operon, a construct was made placing it under the control of the IPTG-inducible P(spac) promoter. Using this approach, it was shown that zur is able to repress expression of the entire operon in a Zn(2+)-dependent manner, and that mreA and mreB are likely to be involved in high-affinity ion uptake. zur has no apparent role in pathogenicity in a lesion model of S. aureus infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK1.
authors.forename: Jodi A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK1.
authors.forename: Simon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D017136:Ion Transport; D007544:Isopropyl Thiogalactoside; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009876:Operon; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C114819:Zur protein, E coli; C078473:MreB protein, E coli; D007544:Isopropyl Thiogalactoside; D015032:Zinc