Unusually Situated Binding Sites for Bacterial Transcription Factors Can Have Hidden Functionality.
A commonly accepted paradigm of molecular biology is that transcription factors control gene expression by binding sites at the 5' end of a gene. However, there is growing evidence that transcription factor targets can occur within genes or between convergent genes. In this work, we have investigated one such target for the cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP) of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. We show that CRP binds between two convergent genes. When bound, CRP regulates transcription of a small open reading frame, which we term aatS, embedded within one of the adjacent genes. Our work demonstrates that non-canonical sites of transcription factor binding can have hidden functionality.
Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
James R J
JR
Haycocks
Institute of Microbiology and Infection, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
David C
DC
Grainger
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000235:genetics; D011953:Receptors, Cyclic AMP / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D011953:Receptors, Cyclic AMP; D014157:Transcription Factors; C047947:cyclic AMP receptor protein, E coli