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Cyclic AMP-receptor protein activates aerobactin receptor IutA expression in Vibrio vulnificus

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Abstract

The ferrophilic bacterium Vibrio vulnificus can utilize the siderophore aerobactin of Escherichia coli for iron acquisition via its specific receptor IutA. This siderophore piracy by V. vulnificus may contribute to its survival and proliferation, especially in mixed bacterial environments. In this study, we examined the effects of glucose, cyclic AMP (cAMP), and cAMP-receptor protein (Crp) on iutA expression in V. vulnificus. Glucose dose-dependently repressed iutA expression. A mutation in cya encoding adenylate cyclase required for cAMP synthesis severely repressed iutA expression, and this change was recovered by in trans complementing cya or the addition of exogenous cAMP. Furthermore, a mutation in crp encoding Crp severely repressed iutA expression, and this change was recovered by complementing crp. Accordingly, glucose deprivation under iron-limited conditions is an environmental signal for iutA expression, and Crp functions as an activator that regulates iutA expression in response to glucose availability.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Center for Resistant Cells, Chosun University Medical School, Gwangju, 501-759, Republic of Korea

    Choon-Mee Kim & Sung-Heui Shin

  2. Department of Emergency Medicine, Chosun University Medical School, Gwangju, 501-759, Republic of Korea

    Seong-Jung Kim

  3. Department of Microbiology, Chosun University Medical School, Gwangju, 501-759, Republic of Korea

    Sung-Heui Shin

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  1. Choon-Mee Kim
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  2. Seong-Jung Kim
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  3. Sung-Heui Shin
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Correspondence to Sung-Heui Shin.

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These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Kim, CM., Kim, SJ. & Shin, SH. Cyclic AMP-receptor protein activates aerobactin receptor IutA expression in Vibrio vulnificus . J Microbiol. 50, 320–325 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-012-2056-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-012-2056-y

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