Characterization of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa transcriptional response to phenylalanine and tyrosine

J Bacteriol. 2010 Jun;192(11):2722-8. doi: 10.1128/JB.00112-10. Epub 2010 Mar 19.

Abstract

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen often associated with chronic infections in the lungs of individuals with the heritable disease cystic fibrosis (CF). Previous work from our laboratory demonstrated that aromatic amino acids within CF lung secretions (sputum) not only serve as carbon and energy sources but also enhance synthesis of the cell signaling molecule Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS). The present study investigates the role of the aromatic amino acid-responsive regulator PhhR in mediating these phenotypes. Transcriptome analysis revealed that PhhR controls four putative transcriptional units (phhA, hpd, hmgA, and dhcA) involved in aromatic amino acid catabolism; however, genes involved in PQS biosynthesis were unaffected. The phhA, hpd, hmgA, and dhcA promoters were mapped by primer extension, and purified His(6)-PhhR was shown to bind the phhA, hpd, and dhcA promoters in vitro by use of electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Our work characterizes a transcriptional regulator of catabolic genes induced during P. aeruginosa growth in CF sputum.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Base Sequence
  • Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / genetics
  • Genetic Complementation Test
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Phenylalanine / pharmacology*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Protein Binding / genetics
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / genetics*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / metabolism
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Tyrosine / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • PhhR protein, Pseudomonas putida
  • Trans-Activators
  • Tyrosine
  • Phenylalanine