title: Quorum sensing modulates transcription of cpsQ-mfpABC and mfpABC in Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
abstract: Vibrio parahaemolyticus AphA and OpaR are the two master regulators of quorum sensing (QS) that are abundantly produced and operate at low cell density (LCD) and high cell density (HCD), respectively, with an outcome of reciprocally gradient production of these two proteins with transition between LCD and HCD. The cpsQ-mfpABC gene cluster is transcribed as two operons cpsQ-mfpABC and mfpABC in V. parahaemolyticus. MfpABC is a putative membrane fusion transporter that contributes to biofilm development. CpsQ is a c-di-GMP-binding regulator that activates the expression of capsular polysaccharide genes and mfpABC and, thus, induces biofilm development. As shown in this study, OpaR and AphA bind to the promoter region of mfpABC to enhance and repress its transcription, respectively. In contrast, the positive and negative regulation of cpsQ-mfpABC by AphA and OpaR, respectively, achieves probably through acting of AphA or OpaR on additional unknown regulator(s) of cpsQ-mfpABC. The transcriptional levels of cpsQ-mfpABC and mfpABC enhance gradually with transition from LCD to HCD due to the above reciprocal regulatory action of OpaR and AphA. Data presented here present a novel paradigm of combined action of the two master QS regulators in controlling expression of the QS regulon members.
authors.affiliation: Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China; State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China. Electronic address: dongshengzhou1977@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Dongsheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xiaojuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Fen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yiquan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shaojie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.forename: Jingfu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Ruifu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Panyong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000502:physiology*; D014736:Vibrio parahaemolyticus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins
keywords: AphA; Gene regulation; OpaR; Vibrio parahaemolyticus; cpsQ; mfpABC