title: HIV-1 Tat regulates the expression of the dcw operon and stimulates the proliferation of bacteria.
abstract: Infections of pathogenic bacteria are very common in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. However, the biological effects of HIV-1 Tat on bacteria are incompletely understood. In this study, HIV-1 Tat was expressed in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA01) to investigate its biological effects on bacteria. Bacterial cells expressing either HIV-1 Tat1-86 (Tat1-86) or HIV-1 Tat1-72 (Tat1-72) grow significantly faster than those with either only an empty vector or an unrelated control (GFP or Rluc). Supplementation of purified HIV-1 Tat1-86 or Tat1-101 protein into bacterial culture medium stimulated the growth of both E. coli and PA01. The expression profile of certain cell division-associated genes, such as those in the division cell wall (dcw) operon (ftsA, ftsQ, ftsW and ftsZ), yafO and zipA, was altered in HIV-1 Tat1-86 expressing E. coli BL21(DE3). Furthermore, the expression of firefly luciferase (Fluc) reporter gene, when engineered for control by the dcw promoter and terminator, was enhanced by HIV-1 Tat in E. coli, confirming that HIV-1 Tat transcriptionally regulates the expression of the dcw operon. The finding that HIV-1 Tat stimulates bacterial growth whether it is produced intracellularly or applied extracellularly may have relevance for HIV patients who are highly susceptible to opportunistic bacterial infections. Contents category: Viruses -Retroviruses. The GenBank accession number for the sequence of HIV-1 Tat1-86 is AF324439.1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Jinsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Yumin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.
authors.forename: Pamela E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Knapp
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China. Electronic address: tzhao2@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Tianyong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020077:Endogenous Retroviruses / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009876:Operon; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
keywords: Bacteria growth; HIV-1 Tat; dcw operon