title: Mode of action of the TyrR protein: repression and activation of the tyrP promoter of Escherichia coli.
abstract: The tyrP gene of Escherichia coli encodes a tyrosine specific transporter. Its synthesis is repressed by tyrosine but is activated by phenylalanine and to a lesser extent by tryptophan. Both of these effects are mediated by the TyrR protein when it binds to one or both of its cognate binding sites (TyrR boxes) which encompass nucleotides -30 to -75. Activation in the presence of phenylalanine or tryptophan involves a dimer binding to the upstream box and interacting with the alpha subunit (alphaCTD) of RNA polymerase (RNAP). Repression in the presence of tyrosine involves a hexamer binding to both TyrR boxes. The molecular basis for this repression has been studied in vitro. Whereas initial gel shift experiments fail to show the exclusion of RNAP from the promoter region when TyrR hexamer is bound, a DNase I analysis of slices from the gel shows that in the presence of TyrR, RNAP now binds to a previously unrecognized upstream promoter. Although this upstream promoter is bound strongly by RNAP and forms an open complex on linear DNA templates, it fails to form an open complex on supercoiled templates in vitro and is unable to initiate transcription in vivo. A subsequent gel shift assay using a tyrP fragment which eliminates the upstream RNAP binding site confirms conclusively that, in the presence of tyrosine and ATP, the TyrR protein prevents RNAP from binding to the tyrP promoter. In vitro studies have also been carried out in the presence of TyrR protein and phenylalanine. Binding of TyrR protein to the upstream TyrR box in the presence of phenylalanine is shown to increase the affinity of RNAP for the promoter and stimulate open complex formation at the -10 region of the tyrP promoter. This observation coupled with the results from mutational analysis supports the proposal that TyrR-phenylalanine activates tyrP transcription by stimulating the onset of open complex formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jung Shan
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Camakaris
authors.forename: Windy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Irawaty
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishihama
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pittard
mesh_terms: D026921:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019677:Artificial Gene Fusion; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018983:DNA Footprinting; D004278:DNA, Superhelical / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010649:Phenylalanine; D017354:Point Mutation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014443:Tyrosine; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D026921:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004278:DNA, Superhelical; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D021122:Protein Subunits; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C069256:TyrR protein, E coli; C057333:tyrP protein, E coli; D014443:Tyrosine; D010649:Phenylalanine; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; D001616:beta-Galactosidase