ComWΔ6 Stimulates Transcription of Pneumococcal Competence Genes in vitro
The alternative streptococcal σ-factor and master competence regulator, σX, stimulates transcription from competence promoters, in vitro. As the only known alternative σ-factor in streptococci, σX expression is tightly controlled in each species and has a specific physiological role. Pneumococcal tr...
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doaj-b9cf3a5fffa04d71abf757b4286312e62020-11-25T02:07:00ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences2296-889X2020-05-01710.3389/fmolb.2020.00061532619ComWΔ6 Stimulates Transcription of Pneumococcal Competence Genes in vitroNicole L. InnissDonald A. MorrisonThe alternative streptococcal σ-factor and master competence regulator, σX, stimulates transcription from competence promoters, in vitro. As the only known alternative σ-factor in streptococci, σX expression is tightly controlled in each species and has a specific physiological role. Pneumococcal transformation also requires the DNA binding activity of ComW, a known σX activator and stabilizer. Mutations to the housekeeping σ factor, σA, partially alleviate the ComW requirement, suggesting that ComW is a key player in the σ factor swap during the pneumococcal competence response. However, there is no evidence of a direct ComW – RNA polymerase interaction. Furthermore, if and how ComW functions directly at combox promoters is still unknown. Here we report that a DNA-binding ComW variant, ComΔ6, can stimulate transcription from σX promoters in vitro.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmolb.2020.00061/fullalternative sigma factorS. pneumoniae competencegenetic transformationComWtranscription |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Nicole L. Inniss Donald A. Morrison |
spellingShingle |
Nicole L. Inniss Donald A. Morrison ComWΔ6 Stimulates Transcription of Pneumococcal Competence Genes in vitro Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences alternative sigma factor S. pneumoniae competence genetic transformation ComW transcription |
author_facet |
Nicole L. Inniss Donald A. Morrison |
author_sort |
Nicole L. Inniss |
title |
ComWΔ6 Stimulates Transcription of Pneumococcal Competence Genes in vitro |
title_short |
ComWΔ6 Stimulates Transcription of Pneumococcal Competence Genes in vitro |
title_full |
ComWΔ6 Stimulates Transcription of Pneumococcal Competence Genes in vitro |
title_fullStr |
ComWΔ6 Stimulates Transcription of Pneumococcal Competence Genes in vitro |
title_full_unstemmed |
ComWΔ6 Stimulates Transcription of Pneumococcal Competence Genes in vitro |
title_sort |
comwδ6 stimulates transcription of pneumococcal competence genes in vitro |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences |
issn |
2296-889X |
publishDate |
2020-05-01 |
description |
The alternative streptococcal σ-factor and master competence regulator, σX, stimulates transcription from competence promoters, in vitro. As the only known alternative σ-factor in streptococci, σX expression is tightly controlled in each species and has a specific physiological role. Pneumococcal transformation also requires the DNA binding activity of ComW, a known σX activator and stabilizer. Mutations to the housekeeping σ factor, σA, partially alleviate the ComW requirement, suggesting that ComW is a key player in the σ factor swap during the pneumococcal competence response. However, there is no evidence of a direct ComW – RNA polymerase interaction. Furthermore, if and how ComW functions directly at combox promoters is still unknown. Here we report that a DNA-binding ComW variant, ComΔ6, can stimulate transcription from σX promoters in vitro. |
topic |
alternative sigma factor S. pneumoniae competence genetic transformation ComW transcription |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmolb.2020.00061/full |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT nicolelinniss comwd6stimulatestranscriptionofpneumococcalcompetencegenesinvitro AT donaldamorrison comwd6stimulatestranscriptionofpneumococcalcompetencegenesinvitro |
_version_ |
1724931736645664768 |