A global transcriptional regulator in Thermococcus kodakaraensis controls the expression levels of both glycolytic and gluconeogenic enzyme-encoding genes.
We identified a novel regulator, Thermococcales glycolytic regulator (Tgr), functioning as both an activator and a repressor of transcription in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1. Tgr (TK1769) displays similarity (28% identical) to Pyrococcus furiosus TrmB (PF1743), a transcriptional repressor regulating the trehalose/maltose ATP-binding cassette transporter genes, but is more closely related (67%) to a TrmB paralog in P. furiosus (PF0124). Growth of a tgr disruption strain (Deltatgr) displayed a significant decrease in growth rate under gluconeogenic conditions compared with the wild-type strain, whereas comparable growth rates were observed under glycolytic conditions. A whole genome microarray analysis revealed that transcript levels of almost all genes related to glycolysis and maltodextrin metabolism were at relatively high levels in the Deltatgr mutant even under gluconeogenic conditions. The Deltatgr mutant also displayed defects in the transcriptional activation of gluconeogenic genes under these conditions, indicating that Tgr functions as both an activator and a repressor. Genes regulated by Tgr contain a previously identified sequence motif, the Thermococcales glycolytic motif (TGM). The TGM was positioned upstream of the Transcription factor B-responsive element (BRE)/TATA sequence in gluconeogenic promoters and downstream of it in glycolytic promoters. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay indicated that recombinant Tgr protein specifically binds to promoter regions containing a TGM. Tgr was released from the DNA when maltotriose was added, suggesting that this sugar is most likely the physiological effector. Our results strongly suggest that Tgr is a global transcriptional regulator that simultaneously controls, in response to sugar availability, both glycolytic and gluconeogenic metabolism in T. kodakaraensis via its direct binding to the TGM.
Kanai
Tamotsu
T
Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan.
Akerboom
Jasper
J
Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 10, 6703 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Takedomi
Shogo
S
Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan.
van de Werken
Harmen J G
HJG
Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 10, 6703 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Blombach
Fabian
F
Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 10, 6703 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
van der Oost
John
J
Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 10, 6703 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Murakami
Taira
T
Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan.
Atomi
Haruyuki
H
Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan.
Imanaka
Tadayuki
T
Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan. Electronic address: imanaka@sbchem.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D016678:Genome; D005838:Genotype; D005943:Gluconeogenesis; D006019:Glycolysis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000737:chemistry; D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases / Q000737:chemistry; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D020027:Pyrococcus furiosus / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D019712:Thermococcus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D009247:NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases; C466433:thioredoxin glutathione reductase