The secondary messenger ppGpp interferes with cAMP-CRP regulon by promoting CRP acetylation in Escherichia coli

PLoS One. 2021 Oct 27;16(10):e0259067. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259067. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

The cAMP-CRP regulon coordinates transcription regulation of several energy-related genes, the lac operon among them. Lactose, or IPTG, induces the lac operon expression by binding to the LacI repressor, and releasing it from the promoter sequence. At the same time, the expression of the lac operon requires the presence of the CRP-cAMP complex, which promotes the binding of the RNA polymerase to the promoter region. The modified nucleotide cAMP accumulates in the absence of glucose and binds to the CRP protein, but its ability to bind to DNA can be impaired by lysine-acetylation of CRP. Here we add another layer of control, as acetylation of CRP seems to be modified by ppGpp. In cells grown in glycerol minimal media, ppGpp seems to repress the expression of lacZ, where ΔrelA mutants show higher expression of lacZ than in WT. These differences between the WT and ΔrelA strains seem to depend on the levels of acetylated CRP. During the growth in minimal media supplemented with glycerol, ppGpp promotes the acetylation of CRP by the Nε-lysine acetyltransferases YfiQ. Moreover, the expression of the different genes involved in the production and degradation of Acetyl-phosphate (ackA-pta) and the enzymatic acetylation of proteins (yfiQ) are stimulated by the presence of ppGpp, depending on the growth conditions.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Acetylation
  • Cyclic AMP Receptor Protein* / genetics
  • Cyclic AMP Receptor Protein* / metabolism
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / genetics*
  • Escherichia coli* / genetics
  • Escherichia coli* / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Lac Operon*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic

Substances

  • Cyclic AMP Receptor Protein
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Escherichia coli Proteins

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the intramural research program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), NIH. CR recieved a stipend from the NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education. Funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.