The galU gene expression in Streptococcus pneumoniae

FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2012 Jul;332(1):47-53. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2012.02572.x. Epub 2012 Apr 27.

Abstract

The polysaccharide capsule of Streptococcus pneumoniae is the main virulence factor making the bacterium resistant to phagocytosis. The galU gene of S. pneumoniae encodes a UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase absolutely required for capsule biosynthesis. In silico analyses indicated that the galU gene is co-transcribed with the gpdA gene, and four putative promoter regions located upstream of gpdA were predicted. One of them behaved as a functional promoter in a promoter reporter system. It is conceivable that the sequence responsible for initiating transcription of gpdA-galU operon is an extended -10 site TATGATA(T/G)AAT. Semi-quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR experiments indicated that galU was expressed mainly in the exponential phase of growth.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Base Sequence
  • Computer Simulation
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase / blood
  • Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase / genetics
  • Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / enzymology
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / genetics*
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / metabolism
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / physiology
  • UTP-Glucose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase / biosynthesis
  • UTP-Glucose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase / genetics*
  • UTP-Glucose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Glycerolphosphate Dehydrogenase
  • glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (NAD(P)+)
  • UTP-Glucose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase