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Heterogeneity in expression of the Escherichia coli colicin K activity gene cka is controlled by the SOS system and stochastic factors

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Abstract

Phenotypic diversity provides populations of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms with the flexibility required to adapt to and/or survive environmental perturbations. Consequently, there is much interest in unraveling the molecular mechanisms of heterogeneity. A classical example of heterogeneity in Escherichia coli is the subset (3%) of the population that expresses the colicin K activity gene (cka) upon nutrient starvation. Here, we report on the mechanism underlying this variable response. As colicin synthesis is regulated by the LexA protein, the central regulator of the SOS response, we focused on the role of LexA and the SOS system in the variable cka expression. Real-time RT-PCR showed that the SOS system, without exogenous DNA damage, induces moderate levels of cka expression. The use of cka–gfp fusions demonstrated that modification of the conserved LexA boxes in the cka promoter region affected LexA binding affinity and the percentage of cka–gfp expressing cells in the population. A lexA–gfp fusion showed that the lexA gene is highly expressed in a subset of bacteria. Furthermore, cka–gfp fusions cloned into higher copy plasmid vectors increased the percentage of cka–gfp positive bacteria. Together, these results indicate that the bistability in cka expression in the bacterial population is determined by (1) basal SOS activity, (2) stochastic factors and possibly (3) the interplay of LexA dimers at cka operator. Other LexA regulated processes could exhibit similar regulation.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Roger Woodgate for generously providing strains RW118 and RW464 as well as the LexA protein and Uri Alon for strain AB1157 carrying the lexA–gfp fusion. Irena Kuhar and John Little are acknowledged for insightful comments. This work was supported by grant P0-0508-0487 from the Slovene Ministry of Higher Education and Science.

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  1. Peter Mrak

    Present address: Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d., Mengeš, Slovenia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Peter Mrak, Zdravko Podlesek & Darja Žgur-Bertok

  2. Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CL, The Netherlands

    Jos P. M. van Putten

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  1. Peter Mrak
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  2. Zdravko Podlesek
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  3. Jos P. M. van Putten
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  4. Darja Žgur-Bertok
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Correspondence to Darja Žgur-Bertok.

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Communicated by D. Andersson.

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Mrak, P., Podlesek, Z., van Putten, J.P.M. et al. Heterogeneity in expression of the Escherichia coli colicin K activity gene cka is controlled by the SOS system and stochastic factors. Mol Genet Genomics 277, 391–401 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00438-006-0185-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00438-006-0185-x

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