Adaptation to sustained nitrogen starvation by Escherichia coli requires the eukaryote-like serine/threonine kinase YeaG

36Citations
Citations of this article
82Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

This article is free to access.

Abstract

The Escherichia coli eukaryote-like serine/threonine kinase, encoded by yeaG, is expressed in response to diverse stresses, including nitrogen (N) starvation. A role for yeaG in bacterial stress response is unknown. Here we reveal for the first time that wild-type E. coli displays metabolic heterogeneity following sustained periods of N starvation, with the metabolically active population displaying compromised viability. In contrast, such heterogeneity in metabolic activity is not observed in an E. coli â †yeaG mutant, which continues to exist as a single and metabolically active population and thus displays an overall compromised ability to survive sustained periods of N starvation. The mechanism by which yeaG acts, involves the transcriptional repression of two toxin/antitoxin modules, mqsR/mqsA and dinJ/yafQ. This, consequently, has a positive effect on the expression of rpoS, the master regulator of the general bacterial stress response. Overall, results indicate that yeaG is required to fully execute the rpoS-dependent gene expression program to allow E. coli to adapt to sustained N starvation and unravels a novel facet to the regulatory basis that underpins adaptive response to N stress.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Figueira, R., Brown, D. R., Ferreira, D., Eldridge, M. J. G., Burchell, L., Pan, Z., … Wigneshweraraj, S. (2015). Adaptation to sustained nitrogen starvation by Escherichia coli requires the eukaryote-like serine/threonine kinase YeaG. Scientific Reports, 5. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep17524

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free