Transcriptional activation of the mrkA promoter of the Klebsiella pneumoniae type 3 fimbrial operon by the c-di-GMP-dependent MrkH protein

J Yang; JJ Wilksch; JWH Tan; DM Hocking; CT Webb; T Lithgow; RM Robins-Browne; RA Strugnell

Journal article

Transcriptional activation of the mrkA promoter of the Klebsiella pneumoniae type 3 fimbrial operon by the c-di-GMP-dependent MrkH protein

J Yang, JJ Wilksch, JWH Tan, DM Hocking, CT Webb, T Lithgow, RM Robins-Browne, RA Strugnell

Plos One | Published : 2013

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079038

Download PDF

Abstract

The Gram-negative bacterial pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae forms biofilms to facilitate colonization of biotic and abiotic surfaces. The formation of biofilms by K. pneumoniae requires the expression of type 3 fimbriae: elongate proteinaceous filaments extruded by a chaperone-usher system in the bacterial outer membrane. The expression of the mrkABCDF cluster that encodes this fimbrial system is strongly positively regulated by MrkH, a transcriptional activator that responds to the second messenger, c-di-GMP. In this study, we analyzed the mechanism by which the MrkH protein activates transcriptional initiation from the mrkA promoter. A mutational analysis supported by electrophoretic mobili..

View full abstract

University of Melbourne Researchers

Jonathan Wilksch Author

Roy Robins-Browne Author

Dick Strugnell Author

Related Projects (2)

Understanding how bacteria form multicellular biofilm communities on surfaces: The role of c-di-GMP as a potent biofilm activator

Bacteria usually exist as multicellular communities called biofilms when attached to surfaces, frequently to the detriment of the environmen..

FIGHTING INFECTION: EXPLOITING HOST-PATHOGEN INTERACTIONS

This program will investigate the strategies used by pathogenic bacteria to cause human diseases. The research will focus on how bacteria in..

Grants

Awarded by Australian Research Council

Funding Acknowledgements

Work in the authors' laboratories was supported by research grants from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (Program Grant 606788) and the Australian Research Council (Project Grant DP130100957). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.