Previous Article | Next Article ![]()
Journal of Bacteriology, December 2003, p. 7297-7300, Vol. 185, No. 24
0021-9193/03/$08.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JB.185.24.7297-7300.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157
Received 15 July 2003/ Accepted 23 September 2003
|
|
|---|
|
|
|---|
In earlier work, we observed that the expression or activity of algZ was correlated with the mucoid phenotype and dependent on the alternative sigma factor AlgT, which is also designated and annotated AlgU (8, 18). However, the mechanism by which AlgT controlled algZ was not investigated (3). An electrophoretic mobility shift assay that validates these data is depicted in Fig. 1A. In this experiment, extracts from mucoid strain FRD1 (13), as well as three isogenic mutants harboring either an algT::Tn501 allele (FRD440; reference 7), an algZ::xylE aacC1 allele (FRD1200), or the algT::Tn501 algZ::xylE aacC1 double mutation (FRD1202), were prepared and examined for binding to DNA upstream of the algD promoter. The algZ::xylE aacC1 mutation was constructed by previously described methods (16, 19), with pDJW588, a pEX18Ap-derived plasmid (10) with a 2.2-kb SmaI fragment containing xylE-aacC1 from pX1918G (10) inserted at the XhoI site within the algZ coding sequence (2). The algD DNA fragment was identical to that used in earlier AlgZ-algD DNA binding studies (2, 3). In addition, an extract from E. coli cells expressing recombinant AlgZ derived from BL21(DE3)/pPJ145 was examined for algD DNA binding activity. Plasmid pPJ145, which expresses wild-type AlgZ, was generated by PCR amplification of pDJW585 (2) with primers algZ9 (5'-CCCCCATATGCGCCCACTGAAACAGG-3') and algZ23 (5'-GCGCTACGCGTGGGCGGCCGCGCTCAGGCCTGGG-3') and subsequent cloning into pET29a (Novagen). All plasmids containing algZ originated from pDJW585, which is pUCP21T (17) harboring algZ derived from FRD1 on a 1.8-kb BamHI fragment. AlgZ present in the parental strain, FRD1, formed several protein-DNA complexes (Fig. 1A, lane 1). The migration of these complexes was identical to that observed with extracts of E. coli cells expressing recombinant AlgZ (Fig. 1A, lane 6). Previous competition studies indicated that this binding was highly specific (3). This is also evidenced by the fact that no binding was observed when an extract from an algZ mutant was tested (Fig. 1A, lane 3). Significantly, no binding was detected when an algT mutant was examined (Fig. 1A, lane 2). This suggested that either the activity or the expression of algZ was AlgT dependent. To distinguish these, a His-tagged AlgZ protein was expressed from BL21(DE3)/pPJ138 cells, purified, and used to make AlgZ antibodies. Plasmid pPJ138 was constructed by cloning an algZ PCR fragment derived by amplification of pDJW585 with primers algZ9 (above) and algZ10 (5'-CCCCTCGAGGGCCTGGGCCAGCTCCGCATCG-3') into pET29a. For antibody production, approximately 1 mg of His-tagged AlgZ derived from BL21(DE3)/pPJ138 was resolved by preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-15% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), followed by brief staining with Coomassie blue, exhaustive destaining, and excision of the band representing AlgZ. This material was used as an immunogen by a commercial vendor (Covance, Denver, Pa.) to generate polyclonal antiserum in New Zealand White rabbits. Western blot analysis was performed essentially as previously described (11), with AlgZ antiserum at a 1:50,000 dilution and chemiluminescent reagents and in accordance with the procedures outlined by Amersham. This antiserum recognized the purified 14-kDa recombinant His-tagged AlgZ protein (Fig. 1B, lane 6), as well as a faster-migrating 12-kDa wild-type AlgZ protein in an extract of E. coli expressing native AlgZ (Fig. 1B, lane 1). AlgZ was detected in extracts derived from mucoid strain FRD1 but not in those from the algZ mutants (Fig. 1B, compare lanes 2 and 4). Additionally, there was no detectable AlgZ when an extract from the isogenic algT mutant was examined (Fig. 1B, lane 3). Taken together, the data in Fig. 1A and B strongly suggest that the absence of AlgZ DNA binding in the algT mutant is due to a lack of algZ expression and not modulation of the DNA binding activity of AlgZ.
![]() View larger version (49K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 1. (A)
Analysis of AlgZ binding to algD by electrophoretic mobility
shift assay. Approximately 2 pmol of a labeled algD fragment
was left untreated (lane 5) or incubated with cell extracts derived
from the following strains: lane 6, 100 ng of BL21(DE3)/pPJ145; lanes 1
to 4, 5 µg derived from FRD1 (Alg+), FRD440
(algT::Tn501), FRD1200
(algZ::xylE aacC1), and
FRD1202 (algZ::xylE
aacC1 algT::Tn501),
respectively. (B) Western blot analysis of AlgZ. Extracts or
purified AlgZ were resolved by SDS-15% PAGE and probed
with antibodies to AlgZ. Lane 1, 1.0 µg of extract of
E. coli BL21(DE3)/pPJ145; lanes 2 to 5, 35 µg
of extract prepared from FRD1 (lane 2), FRD440 (lane 3), FRD1200 (lane
4), and FRD1202 (lane 5). Lane 6 contains 280 ng of purified His-tagged
AlgZ from BL21(DE3)/pPJ138. (C) Western blot analysis of AlgZ
in representative CF isolates. Extracts or purified AlgZ was resolved
by SDS-15% PAGE and probed with antibodies to AlgZ. Lane
1 contains 25 µg of FRD1 extract. Lanes 2 to 6, contain 25
µg each of extracts prepared from mucoid CF isolates. Lane 7
contains 25 µg of FRD440 extract. Lanes 8 to 12 contain 30
µg of extracts prepared from nonmucoid CF isolates. Lane 13
contains 30 µg of FRD1200. Lane 14 contains 200 ng of purified,
His-tagged AlgZ from
BL21(DE3)/pPJ138.
|
The above data suggest that AlgT
controls algD expression and alginate synthesis in part
through control of algZ. If this is the case, transcription of
both algD and algZ should be reduced or eliminated in
algT mutants. Data previously obtained from our laboratory and
others have demonstrated that AlgT is essential for algD
transcription (6,
9,
20). We performed primer
extension experiments as outlined previously
(20) to determine if the
control exerted by AlgZ at algD was at the previously studied
AlgT-dependent promoter
(6,
20). RNA was harvested
from parental mucoid strain FRD1, as well as isogenic algT,
algZ, or algT algZ mutants, and analyzed for
algD expression by primer extension. RNA from P.
aeruginosa cells cultured in LBNS (10 g of tryptone and 5 g of
yeast extract per liter) (A600
= 0.5) was purified by standard techniques
(1). The oligonucleotide
used for primer extension was algD1
(5'-AACAGGTTGAGTTTGTCCCT-3',
position +86 to position +66 relative to the
start of algD transcription)
(20) and was end labeled
with polynucleotide kinase with
[
-32P]ATP as previously described
(1). All detectable
algD transcription originated from the previously mapped
promoter (Fig.
2A, lane 1). Expression at this promoter was absolutely dependent on sigma
factor AlgT (lane 2), as well as algZ (lanes 3 and 4). These
data support the conclusions that AlgZ is an essential positive
transcriptional activator of algD and that AlgZ controls
algD through the previously characterized AlgT-dependent
promoter.
![]() View larger version (65K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 2. (A)
Primer extension analysis of algD. Oligonucleotide
algD1 was end labeled and used in a primer extension
experiment with 50 µg of total cellular RNA from the following
strains: lane 1, FRD1 (Alg+); lane 2, FRD440
(algT::Tn501); lane 3, FRD1200
(algZ::xylE aacC1); lane
4, FRD1202 (algT::Tn501
algZ::xylE aacC1). The
arrow represents the start site of algD transcription
(20). The algD
sequencing ladder (GATC) was produced from pDJW220
(20) with the same
oligonucleotide (algD1) used for synthesis of the probe in the
primer extension experiment. (B) Primer extension analysis of
algZ. Oligonucleotide algZ15 (see Fig.
3A) was end labeled and
used in a primer extension experiment with 50 µg of total
cellular RNA from the following: lane 1, FRD1
(Alg+); lane 2, FRD440
(algT::Tn501). The arrow
represents the start site of algZ transcription. The
algZ sequencing ladder (GATC) was produced from pDJW585 with
the same oligonucleotide (algZ15) used for synthesis of the
probe in the primer extension
experiment.
|
![]() View larger version (44K): [in a new window] |
FIG. 3. (A)
Upstream regulatory sequences at algZ. The sequences
immediately upstream of the algZ coding region are depicted.
The small arrow represents the position of the mapped algZ
transcription start site, and the proposed AlgT promoter is underlined.
Sequences on top of this represent the consensus AlgT promoter
(8). Sequences under this
represent mutant alleles algZ11 and algZ12.
(B) algZ-lacZ transcription studies.
Strains FRD1310 (FRD1 algZ-lacZ), FRD1322 (FRD1
algZ12-lacZ), and FRD1328 (FRD1
algZ11-lacZ) were cultured on LBNS plates and assayed
for algZ-lacZ transcriptional
activity.
|
Taken together, these data provide evidence that expression of algZ requires the alternative sigma factor AlgT. Most likely, AlgT is directly involved in algZ promoter recognition and transcription initiation since a promoter that is similar to a consensus AlgT promoter was identified upstream of the mapped transcription start site and mutations in the -35 or -10 element significantly reduced but did not completely eliminate algZ transcription.
We thank H. Schweizer for providing the tools for gene replacements and D. Ramsey for editing the manuscript.
Present
address: Department of Biology, Thomas More College, Crestview Hills,
Ky. ![]()
|
|
|---|
factor
(
E). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA
92:7941-7945.
This article has been cited by other articles:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology. For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»