title: Multiple sensors control reciprocal expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa regulatory RNA and virulence genes.
abstract: The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is responsible for a wide range of acute and chronic infections. The transition to chronic infections is accompanied by physiological changes in the bacteria favoring formation of biofilm communities. Here we report the identification of LadS, a hybrid sensor kinase that controls the reciprocal expression of genes for type III secretion and biofilm-promoting polysaccharides. Domain organization of LadS and the range of LadS-controlled genes suggest that it counteracts the activities of another sensor kinase, RetS. These two pathways converge by controlling the transcription of a small regulatory RNA, RsmZ. This work identifies a previously undescribed signal transduction network in which the activities of signal-receiving sensor kinases LadS, RetS, and GacS regulate expression of virulence genes associated with acute or chronic infection by transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Systèmes Macromoléculaires, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Biologie Structurale et Microbiologie, Unité Propre de Recherche 9027, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, 13402 Marseille Cedex 20, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ventre
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vallet-Gely
authors.forename: Perrine
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vasseur
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Soscia
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Molin
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bleves
authors.forename: Andrée
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lazdunski
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lory
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filloux
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000502:physiology*; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C507835:RetS protein, Pseudomonas aeruginosa; D037521:Virulence Factors; D012313:RNA; D011494:Protein Kinases; D001616:beta-Galactosidase