Located Upstream (located + upstream)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Identification and characterization of a novel transcriptional regulator, MatR, for malonate metabolism in Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii

FEBS JOURNAL, Issue 24 2000
Hwan Young Lee
A novel gene, matR, located upstream of matABC, transcribed in the opposite direction, and encoding a putative regulatory protein by sequence analysis was discovered from Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii. The matA, matB, and matC genes encode malonyl-CoA decarboxylase, malonyl-CoA synthetase, and a presumed malonate transporter, respectively. Together, these enzymes catalyze the uptake and conversion of malonate to acetyl-CoA. The deduced amino-acid sequence of matR showed sequence similarity with GntR from Bacillus subtilis in the N-terminal region encoding a helix-turn-helix domain. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay indicated that MatR bound to a fragment of DNA corresponding to the mat promoter region. The addition of malonate or methylmalonate increased the association of MatR and DNA fragment. DNase I footprinting assays identified a MatR binding site encompassing 66 nucleotides near the mat promoter. The mat operator region included an inverted repeat (TCTTGTA/TACACGA) centered ,46.5 relative to the transcription start site. Transcriptional assays, using the luciferase gene, revealed that MatR represses transcription from the mat promoter and malonate alleviates MatR-mediated repression effect on the expression of Pmat -luc+ reporter fusion. [source]


Genes for an alkaline d -stereospecific endopeptidase and its homolog are located in tandem on Bacillus cereus genome

FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 1 2003
Hidenobu Komeda
Abstract Alkaline d -peptidase (Adp) from Bacillus cereus DF4-B is a d -stereospecific endopeptidase acting on oligopeptides composed of d -phenylalanine and the primary structure deduced from its gene, adp, shows a similarity with d -stereospecific hydrolases from Ochrobactrum anthropi strains. We have isolated DNA fragments covering the flanking region of adp from DF4-B genome and found an additional gene, adp2, located upstream of adp. The deduced amino acid sequence of Adp2 showed 96% and 85% identity with those of Adp from B. cereus strains AH559 and DF4-B, respectively. The recombinant Adp2 expressed in Escherichia coli was purified to homogeneity and characterized. It had hydrolyzing activity toward (d -Phe)3, (d -Phe)4, and (d -Phe)6 but did not act on (l -Phe)4, d -Phe-NH2, and l -Phe-NH2, some characteristics that are closely related to those of Adp from strain DF4-B. These results indicate that highly homologous genes encoding d -stereospecific endopeptidases are arranged in a tandem manner on the genomic DNA of B. cereus DF4-B. [source]


Regulation of anaerobic arginine catabolism in Bacillus licheniformis by a protein of the Crp/Fnr family

FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 2 2000
Abdelouahid Maghnouj
Abstract Arginine anaerobic catabolism occurs in Bacillus licheniformis through the arginine deiminase pathway, encoded by the gene cluster arcABDC. We report here the involvement of a new protein, ArcR, in the regulation of the pathway. ArcR is a protein of the Crp/Fnr family encoded by a gene located 109 bp downstream from arcC. It binds to a palindromic sequence, very similar to an Escherichia coli Crp binding site, located upstream from arcA. Residues in the C-terminal domain of Crp that form the DNA binding motif, in particular residues Arg-180 and Glu-181 that make specific bonds with DNA, are conserved in ArcR, suggesting that the complexes formed with DNA by Crp and ArcR are similar. Moreover, the pattern of DNase I hypersensitivity sites induced by the binding of ArcR suggests that ArcR bends the DNA in the same way as Crp. From the absence of anaerobic induction following inactivation of arcR and from the existence of a binding site upstream of the arcA transcription start point, it can be inferred that ArcR is an activator of the arginine deiminase pathway. [source]


Sequestosome 1 Mutations in Paget's Disease of Bone in Australia: Prevalence, Genotype/Phenotype Correlation, and a Novel Non-UBA Domain Mutation (P364S) Associated With Increased NF-,B Signaling Without Loss of Ubiquitin Binding,,

JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 7 2009
Sarah L Rea
Abstract Previously reported Sequestosome 1(SQSTM1)/p62 gene mutations associated with Paget's disease of bone (PDB) cluster in, or cause deletion of, the ubiquitin-associated (UBA) domain. The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence of SQSTM1 mutations in Australian patients, genotype/phenotype correlations and the functional consequences of a novel point mutation (P364S) located upstream of the UBA. Mutation screening of the SQSTM1 gene was conducted on 49 kindreds with PDB. In addition, 194 subjects with apparently sporadic PDB were screened for the common P392L mutation by restriction enzyme digestion. HEK293 cells stably expressing RANK were co-transfected with expression plasmids for SQSTM1 (wildtype or mutant) or empty vector and a NF-,B luciferase reporter gene. GST-SQSTM1 (wildtype and mutant) proteins were used in pull-down assays to compare monoubiquitin-binding ability. We identified SQSTM1 mutations in 12 of 49 families screened (24.5%), comprising 9 families with the P392L mutation and 1 family each with the following mutations: K378X, 390X, and a novel P364S mutation in exon 7, upstream of the UBA. The P392L mutation was found in 9 of 194 (4.6%) patients with sporadic disease. Subjects with SQSTM1 mutations had more extensive disease, but not earlier onset, compared with subjects without mutations. In functional studies, the P364S mutation increased NF-,B activation compared with wildtype SQSTM1 but did not reduce ubiquitin binding. This suggests that increased NF-,B signaling, but not the impairment of ubiquitin binding, may be essential in the pathogenesis of PDB associated with SQSTM1 mutations. [source]


A novel NO-responding regulator controls the reduction of nitric oxide in Ralstonia eutropha

MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2000
Anne Pohlmann
Ralstonia eutropha H16 mediates the reduction of nitric oxide (NO) to nitrous oxide (N2O) with two isofunctional single component membrane-bound NO reductases (NorB1 and NorB2). This reaction is integrated into the denitrification pathway that involves the successive reduction of nitrate to dinitrogen. The norB1 gene is co-transcribed with norA1 from a ,54 (RpoN)-dependent promoter, located upstream of norA1. With the aid of norA1,,lacZ transcriptional fusions and the generation of regulatory mutants, it was shown that norB1 gene transcription requires a functional rpoN gene and the regulator NorR, a novel member of the NtrC family of response regulators. The regulator gene maps adjacent to norAB, is divergently transcribed and present in two copies on the megaplasmid pHG1 (norR1) and the chromosome (norR2). Transcription activation by NorR responds to the availability of NO. A nitrite reductase-deficient mutant that is incapable of producing NO endogenously, showed a 70% decrease of norA1 expression. Addition of the NO-donating agent sodium nitroprusside caused induction of norA1,,lacZ transcription. Truncation of the N-terminal receiver domain of NorR1 interrupted the NO signal transduction and led to a constitutive expression of norA1,,lacZ. The results indicate that NorR controls the reductive conversion of NO in R. eutropha. This reaction is not strictly co-ordinated on the regulatory level with the other nitrogen oxide-reducing steps of the denitrification chain that are independent of NorR. [source]