Biotin sensing: universal influence of biotin status on transcription.
Although the role of biotin in metabolic reactions has long been recognized, its influence on transcription has only recently been discovered. A key protein in biotin-mediated transcription regulation is the biotin protein ligase, the enzyme responsible for catalyzing covalent linkage of the vitamin to biotin-dependent carboxylases. In the biotin regulatory system of Escherichia coli, the best characterized of the biotin-sensing systems, the biotin protein ligase functions both as the biotinylating enzyme and as a transcription repressor. Detailed mechanistic studies of this system are reviewed. In addition, recent studies have revealed other biotin-sensing systems in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. These systems and the central role of the biotin protein ligase in each are also reviewed.
Beckett
Dorothy
D
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Chemical and Life Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA. dbeckett@umd.edu
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D001710:Biotin / Q000378:metabolism*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D001710:Biotin