title: Molecular analysis of BcrR, a membrane-bound bacitracin sensor and DNA-binding protein from Enterococcus faecalis.
abstract: BcrR has been identified as a novel regulatory protein of high level bacitracin resistance encoded by the bcrABD operon in Enterococcus faecalis. The N-terminal domain of BcrR has similarity to the helix-turn-helix motif of DNA-binding proteins, and topological modeling predicts that the C-terminal domain contains four transmembrane alpha-helices. These data have led to the hypothesis that BcrR functions as both a membrane-bound sensor and transducer of bacitracin availability to regulate bcrABD expression. To characterize the bcrABD promoter and identify the promoter elements to which BcrR binds, a series of bcrA-lacZ fusions were constructed. A 69-bp region was identified that was essential for bacitracin-dependent bcrA-lacZ expression. Mutations that targeted this region were used to identify two inverted repeat sequences, each with the sequence 5'-GACA(N)(7)TGTC-3', on the bcrABD promoter that were required for bcrA-lacZ expression. To study BcrR binding to this region, we over-produced BcrR with a C-terminal hexa-histidine tag in Escherichia coli membranes, extracted the protein with n-dodecyl-beta-d-maltoside, and subsequently purified it via Ni(2+)-nitrilotriacetic acid and gel filtration chromatography to apparent homogeneity. Purified BcrR was reconstituted into liposomes, and BcrR binding to bcrABD promoter DNA was analyzed using electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Both inverted repeat sequences were required for BcrR binding, both in the presence and absence of bacitracin. These data demonstrate that membrane-bound BcrR binds specifically to the bcrABD promoter, irrespective of bacitracin concentration. We therefore propose that bacitracin-dependent induction of bcrABD expression by BcrR occurs after DNA binding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Otago School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jonathan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Gauntlett
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gebhard
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keis
authors.forename: Janet M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Manson
authors.forename: Klaas M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Pos
authors.forename: Gregory M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001414:Bacitracin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding
chemical_list: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; C493252:BcrR protein, Enterococcus faecalis; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D001414:Bacitracin