Abstract
Alginate is an important virulence factor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and so our understanding of alginate gene regulation is best understood in this species. Expression of the algD operon for alginate biosynthesis is only highly expressed in mucoid clinical isolates that usually have pathoadaptive mucA mutations. The three major regulators of the algD promoter (PalgD) are AlgR, AlgB, and AmrZ. Each binds to DNA sites relatively far upstream from the start of algD transcription. AlgR and AlgB are two-component regulators. AmrZ is an Arc-like positive regulator of PalgD, but can also be a negative regulator. A global role for these regulators is also emerging. Expression of PalgD and the regulators are under the control of σ22, an extracytoplasmic function alternative sigma factor. σ22 activity is under posttranscriptional control by membrane-bound MucAB. Release of σ22 sequestration can occur as a result of cell wall stress, which activates proteases, including AlgW (DegS-like) protease, to degrade MucA.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by Veterans Administration Medical Research Funds, by a grant from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and by Public Health Service grants AI-19146 and T32-AI-007617 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
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Ohman, D.E. (2009). Alginate Gene Regulation. In: Rehm, B. (eds) Alginates: Biology and Applications. Microbiology Monographs, vol 13. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-92679-5_5
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