Functional identification of ygiP as a positive regulator of the ttdA-ttdB-ygjE operon.
Functional characterization of unknown genes is currently a major task in biology. The search for gene function involves a combination of various in silico, in vitro and in vivo approaches. Available knowledge from the study of more than 21 LysR-type regulators in Escherichia coli has facilitated the classification of new members of the family. From sequence similarities and its location on the E. coli chromosome, it is suggested that ygiP encodes a lysR regulator controlling the expression of a neighbouring operon; this operon encodes the two subunits of tartrate dehydratase (TtdA, TtdB) and YgiE, an integral inner-membrane protein possibly involved in tartrate uptake. Expression of tartrate dehydratase, which converts tartrate to oxaloacetate, is required for anaerobic growth on glycerol as carbon source in the presence of tartrate. Here, it has been demonstrated that disruption of ygiP, ttdA or ygjE abolishes tartrate-dependent anaerobic growth on glycerol. It has also been shown that tartrate-dependent induction of the ttdA-ttdB-ygjE operon requires a functional YgiP.
Oshima
Taku
T
Graduate School of Information Science, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, Nara 630-0101, Japan.
Biville
Francis
F
Unité des Membranes Bactériennes, Département de Microbiologie Fondamentale et Médicale, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Dr Roux, F75724 Paris cedex 15, France.
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D005809:Genes, Regulator / Q000502:physiology*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009876:Operon; D013644:Tartrates / Q000494:pharmacology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D013644:Tartrates; D014157:Transcription Factors; C073470:LysR protein, Bacteria; D005990:Glycerol; C029768:tartaric acid