This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gunesekere, I. C. Articles by Davies, J. K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gunesekere, I. C. Articles by Davies, J. K.

Ecf, an Alternative Sigma Factor from Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Controls Expression of msrAB, Which Encodes Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase

Ishara C. Gunesekere,¹ Charlene M. Kahler,^1, Catherine S. Ryan,¹ Lori A. S. Snyder,² Nigel J. Saunders,² Julian I. Rood,¹ and John K. Davies^1*

Australian Bacterial Pathogenesis Program, Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia,¹ Bacterial Pathogenesis and Functional Genomics Group, Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, United Kingdom²

Received 17 October 2005/ Accepted 29 December 2005

A DNA microarray was used to identify genes transcribed in Neisseria gonorrhoeae using Ecf, an alternative sigma factor. No differences between the transcriptional profiles of strain FA1090 and a mutant where ecf had been inactivated could be detected when both were grown in vitro. We therefore constructed a gonococcal strain in which Ecf can be overexpressed. Some differentially expressed genes are clustered with ecf on the genome and appear to form a single transcriptional unit. Expression of the gene encoding MsrAB, which possesses methionine sulfoxide reductase activity, was also dependent on Ecf, suggesting that the regulon responds to oxidative damage. Western blotting confirmed that the increased level of MsrAB protein is dependent on the presence of Ecf.

Present address: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, QE11 Medical Centre, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Ambur, O. H., Frye, S. A., Tonjum, T. (2007). New Functional Identity for the DNA Uptake Sequence in Transformation and Its Presence in Transcriptional Terminators. J. Bacteriol. 189: 2077-2085 [Abstract] [Full Text]