A new family of transcriptional regulators of tungstoenzymes and molybdate/tungstate transport

Abstract

Summary Bacterial genes for molybdenum‐containing and tungsten‐containing enzymes are often differentially regulated depending on the metal availability in the environment. Here, we describe a new family of transcription factors with an unusual DNA‐binding domain related to excisionases of bacteriophages. These transcription factors are associated with genes for various molybdate and tungstate‐specific transporting systems as well as molybdo/tungsto‐enzymes in a wide range of bacterial genomes. We used a combination of computational and experimental techniques to study a member of the TF family, named TaoR (for tungsten‐containing aldehyde oxidoreductase regulator). In Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough, a model bacterium for sulfate reduction studies, TaoR activates expression of aldehyde oxidoreductase aor and represses tungsten‐specific ABC‐type transporter tupABC genes under tungsten‐replete conditions. TaoR binding sites at aor promoter were identified by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and DNase I footprinting. We also reconstructed TaoR regulons in 45 Deltaproteobacteria by comparative genomics approach and predicted target genes for TaoR family members in other Proteobacteria and Firmicutes.

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