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Journal of Bacteriology, August 2001, p. 4599-4608, Vol. 183, No. 15
Laboratoire de Genétique et Physiologie
Bactérienne, E.A. 3036, Centre Hospitalo Universitaire de
Rangueil, Université Paul Sabatier, 31403 Toulouse Cedex, France
Received 21 February 2001/Accepted 14 May 2001
In Streptococcus pneumoniae, a fermentative
aerotolerant and catalase-deficient human pathogen, oxidases
with molecular oxygen as substrate are important for virulence and for
competence. The signal-transducing two-component systems CiaRH and
ComDE mediate the response to oxygen, culminating in competence. In
this work we show that the two-component MicAB system, whose MicB
kinase carries a PAS domain, is also involved in competence repression under oxygen limitation. Autophosphorylation of recombinant MicB and
phosphotransfer to recombinant MicA have been demonstrated. Mutational analysis and in vitro assays showed that the C-terminal part
of the protein and residue L100 in the N-terminal cap of its PAS domain
are both crucial for autokinase activity in vitro. Although no
insertion mutation in micA was obtained, expression of the
mutated allele micA59DA did not change bacterial growth and
overcame competence repression under microaerobiosis. This was related
to a strong instability of MicA59DA-PO4 in vitro. Thus,
mutations which either reduced the stability of
MicA-PO4 or abolished kinase activity in MicB were
related to competence derepression under microaerobiosis, suggesting
that MicA-PO4 is involved in competence repression when
oxygen becomes limiting. The micAB genes are flanked by
mutY and orfC. MutY is an adenine glycosylase
involved in the repair of oxidized pyrimidines. OrfC shows the features
of a metal binding protein. We did not obtain insertion mutation in
orfC, suggesting its requirement for growth. It is proposed
that MicAB, with its PAS motif, may belong to a set of functions
important in the protection of the cell against oxidative stress,
including the control of competence.
0021-9193/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JB.183.15.4599-4608.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Competence Repression under Oxygen Limitation
through the Two-Component MicAB Signal-Transducing System in
Streptococcus pneumoniae and Involvement of the PAS
Domain of MicB
and
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Laboratoire de
Genétique et Physiologie Bacterienne, E.A. 3036, Centre Hospitalo
Universitaire de Rangueil, Université Paul Sabatier, 31403 Toulouse Cedex, France. Phone: (33)61-322974. Fax: (33)61-322620.
E-mail: trombe{at}cict.fr.
Present address: Departmento de Bioquímica Clínica,
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de
Córdoba, Pabellón Argentina, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 5000 Córdoba, Argentina.
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