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Does UVB radiation induce SoxS gene expression in Escherichia coli cells?

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Abstract

The SoxRS regulon is induced when bacterial cells are exposed to redox-cycling agents such as menadione or paraquat. In this paper it is shown that a physical agent, such as ultraviolet radiation with a wavelength of 312 nm (UVB) can induce soxS gene expression. The results indicate that this induction involves the RpoS protein. Moreover, an unexpected increase of soxS gene expression independent of a functional soxR gene in UVB-irradiated cells has been verified. This increase could be explained by transcription of soxS gene in a rpoS-dependent pathway.

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Fig. 1
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Fig. 3A, B
Fig. 4

Abbreviations

LB:

Lúria-Bertani medium

M9:

Minimal medium

M9S:

Minimal medium supplemented

UVA:

320–400 nm ultraviolet radiation

UVB:

290–320 nm ultraviolet radiation

UVC:

100–290 nm ultraviolet radiation.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to S. Simplício and A. P. das Neves for their expert technical assistance. The authors also thank R. Kolter, D. Touati, B. Demple and G. Storz for providing bacterial strains and C. F. Menck for helpful comments and suggestions. This work was supported by FINEP, CNPq, FAPERJ, PRONEX and UERJ.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biofísica e Biometria Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, 20551-030, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    A. A. Gomes, L. M. B. O. Asad, I. Felzenszwalb, H. C. R. Guillobel & N. R. Asad

  2. Laboratório de Radiobiologia Molecular Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21949-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    A. C. Leitão & A. B. Silva

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  1. A. A. Gomes
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  2. L. M. B. O. Asad
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  3. I. Felzenszwalb
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  4. A. C. Leitão
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  5. A. B. Silva
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  6. H. C. R. Guillobel
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  7. N. R. Asad
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Correspondence to N. R. Asad.

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Gomes, A.A., Asad, L.M.B.O., Felzenszwalb, I. et al. Does UVB radiation induce SoxS gene expression in Escherichia coli cells?. Radiat Environ Biophys 43, 219–222 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-004-0253-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00411-004-0253-8

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