1887

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Volume 159, Issue Pt_10

Involvement of OpcR, a GbsR-type transcriptional regulator, in negative regulation of two evolutionarily closely related choline uptake genes in Free

Abstract

The osmoprotectant glycine betaine can be generated intracellularly from conversion of the exogenous precursor choline by enzymes encoded by the operon in . Uptake of choline from outside cells is mediated through two evolutionarily closely related ATP-binding cassette transporters, OpuB and OpuC. Expression of the operon and of the operon is known to be osmoinducible. Here, we show that choline exerts a suppressive effect on expression during normal growth and under osmotic stress. In the absence of the choline-responsive repressor GbsR, expression is also suppressed by choline. We also report that a gene (formerly , now designated ) located immediately upstream of the operon negatively regulates transcription of the operon and, in the absence of GbsR, also that of the operon. An inverted repeat (TTGTAAA-N-TTTACAA) that overlaps with the −35 hexamer of the promoters of both operons has been identified as the OpcR operator. OpcR belongs to the GbsR-type transcriptional regulators. Its orthologues with unknown function are present in some other species. Moreover, deletion analyses revealed that a region located further upstream of the promoters of the operon and the operon is critical for expression of both operons during normal growth and under osmotic stress. Osmotic induction of these two operons appears not to be OpcR mediated. OpcR is not a choline-responsive repressor. The possible biological role of OpcR is discussed.

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2013-10-01
2024-04-25
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Involvement of OpcR, a GbsR-type transcriptional regulator, in negative regulation of two evolutionarily closely related choline uptake genes in Bacillus subtilis
Microbiology 159, 2087 (2013); https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.067074-0
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.067074-0
/content/journal/micro/10.1099/mic.0.067074-0
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