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Expression of Kingella kingae type IV pili is regulated by sigma54, PilS, and PilR.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Kehl-Fie, TE; Porsch, EA; Miller, SE; St Geme, JW
Published in: J Bacteriol
August 2009

Kingella kingae is a member of the Neisseriaceae and is being recognized increasingly as an important cause of serious disease in children. Recent work has demonstrated that K. kingae expresses type IV pili that mediate adherence to respiratory epithelial and synovial cells and are selected against during invasive disease. In the current study, we examined the genome of K. kingae strain 269-492 and identified homologs of the rpoN and the pilS and pilR genes that are essential for pilus expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa but not in the pathogenic Neisseria species. The disruption of either rpoN or pilR in K. kingae resulted in a marked reduction in the level of transcript for the major pilus subunit (pilA1) and eliminated piliation. In contrast, the disruption of pilS resulted in only partial reduction in the level of pilA1 transcript and a partial decrease in piliation. Furthermore, the disruption of pilS in colony variants with high-density piliation resulted in variants with low-density piliation. Mutations in the promoter region of pilA1 and gel shift analysis demonstrated that both sigma(54) and PilR act directly at the pilA1 promoter, with PilR binding to two repetitive elements. These data suggest that the regulation of K. kingae type IV pilus expression is complex and multilayered, influenced by both the genetic state and environmental cues.

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Published In

J Bacteriol

DOI

EISSN

1098-5530

Publication Date

August 2009

Volume

191

Issue

15

Start / End Page

4976 / 4986

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Transcription Factors
  • RNA Polymerase Sigma 54
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Microbiology
  • Kingella kingae
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Fimbriae, Bacterial
 

Citation

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Kehl-Fie, T. E., Porsch, E. A., Miller, S. E., & St Geme, J. W. (2009). Expression of Kingella kingae type IV pili is regulated by sigma54, PilS, and PilR. J Bacteriol, 191(15), 4976–4986. https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00123-09
Kehl-Fie, Thomas E., Eric A. Porsch, Sara E. Miller, and Joseph W. St Geme. “Expression of Kingella kingae type IV pili is regulated by sigma54, PilS, and PilR.J Bacteriol 191, no. 15 (August 2009): 4976–86. https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00123-09.
Kehl-Fie TE, Porsch EA, Miller SE, St Geme JW. Expression of Kingella kingae type IV pili is regulated by sigma54, PilS, and PilR. J Bacteriol. 2009 Aug;191(15):4976–86.
Kehl-Fie, Thomas E., et al. “Expression of Kingella kingae type IV pili is regulated by sigma54, PilS, and PilR.J Bacteriol, vol. 191, no. 15, Aug. 2009, pp. 4976–86. Pubmed, doi:10.1128/JB.00123-09.
Kehl-Fie TE, Porsch EA, Miller SE, St Geme JW. Expression of Kingella kingae type IV pili is regulated by sigma54, PilS, and PilR. J Bacteriol. 2009 Aug;191(15):4976–4986.

Published In

J Bacteriol

DOI

EISSN

1098-5530

Publication Date

August 2009

Volume

191

Issue

15

Start / End Page

4976 / 4986

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Transcription Factors
  • RNA Polymerase Sigma 54
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Microbiology
  • Kingella kingae
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Fimbriae, Bacterial