Effect of VirF on the Promoter Activity of yscW-virF Operon in Yersinia enterocolitica

Authors

  • Thuan Nghi Vu 1. Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA 2. School of Biotechnology, Assumption University, Bangkok, Thailand.
  • Glenn Marvin Young Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA

Abstract

The Yerisinia enterocolitica Ysc-Yop T3SS and its Yop effectors are essential for the bacteria to survive and overcome the host immune system. Expression of Ysc-Yop T3SS at the transcriptional level is thermo-controlled by the AraC transcriptional activator VirF, encoded by virF. The role of VirF in transcriptional regulation of Y. entercolitica Ysc-Yop T3SS genes has been intensively investigated but little in known about how the virF gene is controlled. This study was aimed at understanding how virF expression is controlled. The results showed that the virF, together with the yscW located upstream of virF are transcribed as an operon from the promoter PyscW. We further assessed whether VirF might control transcription from PyscW using a transcriptional fusion to a lacZ reporter. The analysis revealed that VirF does not have any influence to activity of promoter PyscW at low (26°C) or high (37°C) temperature.

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Issue

Vol. 16 No. 4 (2013): April 2013

Section

Articles