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Modification of CusSR bacterial two-component systems by the introduction of an inducible positive feedback loop

  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Published:
Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology

Abstract

The CusSR two-component system (TCS) is a copper-sensing apparatus of E. coli that is responsible for regulating the copper-related homeostatic system. The dynamic characteristics of the CusSR network were modified by the introduction of a positive feedback loop. To construct the feedback loop, the CusR, which is activated by the cusC promoter, was cloned downstream of the cusC promoter and reporter protein. The feedback loop system, once activated by environmental copper, triggers the activation of the cusC promoter, which results in the amplification of a reporter protein and CusR expression. The threshold copper concentration for the activation of the modified CusSR TCS network was lowered from 2,476.5 μg/l to 247.7 μg/l, which indicates a tenfold increase in sensitivity. The intensity of the output signal was increased twofold, and was maintained for 16 h. The strategy proposed in this study can also be applied to modify the dynamic characteristics of other TCSs.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (SSAC, grant number PJ008057), Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, University of Ulsan, 93 Daehakro, Nam-gu, Ulsan, 680-749, Republic of Korea

    Sambandam Ravikumar, Van Dung Pham, Ik-keun Yoo & Soon Ho Hong

  2. Bio Research Center, Sinseongno 19, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-600, Republic of Korea

    Seung Hwan Lee

Authors
  1. Sambandam Ravikumar
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  2. Van Dung Pham
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  3. Seung Hwan Lee
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  4. Ik-keun Yoo
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  5. Soon Ho Hong
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Soon Ho Hong.

Additional information

Sambandam Ravikumar and Van Dung Pham contributed equally to this work.

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Ravikumar, S., Pham, V.D., Lee, S.H. et al. Modification of CusSR bacterial two-component systems by the introduction of an inducible positive feedback loop. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 39, 861–868 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-012-1096-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-012-1096-y

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