Transcriptional regulation of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa iron-sulfur cluster assembly pathway by binding of IscR to multiple sites

PLoS One. 2019 Jun 28;14(6):e0218385. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218385. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Iron-sulfur ([Fe-S]) cluster proteins have essential functions in many biological processes. [Fe-S] homeostasis is crucial for bacterial survival under a wide range of environmental conditions. IscR is a global transcriptional regulator in Pseudomonas aeruginosa; it has been shown to regulate genes involved in [Fe-S] cluster biosynthesis, iron homeostasis, resistance to oxidants, and pathogenicity. Many aspects of the IscR transcriptional regulatory mechanism differ from those of other well-studied systems. This study demonstrates the mechanisms of IscR Type-1 binding to its target sites that mediate the repression of gene expression at the isc operon, nfuA, and tpx. The analysis of IscR binding to multiple binding sites in the promoter region of the isc operon reveals that IscR first binds to the high-affinity site B followed by binding to the low-affinity site A. The results of in vitro IscR binding assays and in vivo analysis of IscR-mediated repression of gene expression support the role of site B as the primary site, while site A has only a minor role in the efficiency of IscR repression of gene expression. Ligation of an [Fe-S] cluster to IscR is required for the binding of IscR to target sites and in vivo repression and stress-induced gene expression. Analysis of Type-1 sites in many bacteria, including P. aeruginosa, indicates that the first and the last three AT-rich bases were among the most highly conserved bases within all analyzed Type-1 sites. Herein, we first propose the putative sequence of P. aeruginosa IscR Type-1 binding motif as 5'AWWSSYRMNNWWWTNNNWSGGNYWW3'. This can benefit further studies in the identification of novel genes under the IscR regulon and the regulatory mechanism model of P. aeruginosa IscR as it contributes to the roles of an [Fe-S] cluster in several biologically important cellular activities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Base Sequence
  • Binding Sites
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
  • Iron-Sulfur Proteins / genetics*
  • Iron-Sulfur Proteins / metabolism
  • Models, Biological
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Protein Binding
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / genetics*
  • Transcription, Genetic*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Iron-Sulfur Proteins

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Mahidol University (https://www.mahidol.ac.th) to the Center for Emerging Bacterial Infections (EBI), and the Central Instrument Facility (CIF grant) of the Faculty of Science, Mahidol University (https://science.mahidol.ac.th), and Chulabhorn Research Institute (http://www.cri.or.th/en/index.php). K.S. was supported by the Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. Scholarship (PHD/0047/2557) from Thailand Research Fund (http://rgj.trf.or.th/eng/rgje11.asp) with S.M. as K.S.’s mentor. A.R. was supported by the grant from Mahidol University (https://www.mahidol.ac.th). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Parts of this work are from K.S. dissertation submitted for a Ph.D. degree from Mahidol University.