Antibiotic-inducible promoter regulated by the cell envelope stress-sensing two-component system LiaRS of Bacillus subtilis.
Soil bacteria are among the most prodigious producers of antibiotics. The Bacillus subtilis LiaRS (formerly YvqCE) two-component system is one of several antibiotic-sensing systems that coordinate the genetic response to cell wall-active antibiotics. Upon the addition of vancomycin or bacitracin, LiaRS autoregulates the liaIHGFSR operon. We have characterized the promoter of the lia operon and defined the cis-acting sequences necessary for antibiotic-inducible gene expression. A survey for compounds that act as inducers of the lia promoter revealed that it responds strongly to a subset of cell wall-active antibiotics that interfere with the lipid II cycle in the cytoplasmic membrane (bacitracin, nisin, ramoplanin, and vancomycin). Chemicals that perturb the cytoplasmic membrane, such as organic solvents, are also weak inducers. Thus, the reporter derived from P(liaI) (the liaI promoter) provides a tool for the detection and classification of antimicrobial compounds.
Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
Thorsten
T
Mascher
Sara L
SL
Zimmer
Terry-Ann
TA
Smith
John D
JD
Helmann
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003470:Culture Media; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D007763:Lac Operon / Q000235:genetics; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000235:genetics*; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D017931:DNA Primers; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C490532:LiaRS protein, Bacillus subtilis; D008563:Membrane Lipids