A three-protein signaling pathway governing immunity to a bacterial cannibalism toxin

Craig D Ellermeier; Errett C Hobbs; Jose E Gonzalez-Pastor; Richard Losick

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2005.11.041

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A three-protein signaling pathway governing immunity to a bacterial cannibalism toxin

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

A three-protein signaling pathway governing immunity to a bacterial cannibalism toxin

Craig D Ellermeier, Errett C Hobbs, Jose E Gonzalez-Pastor and Richard Losick

Cell (Cambridge), Vol.124(3), pp.549-559

02/10/2006

DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2005.11.041

PMID: 16469701

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Abstract

We describe a three-protein signal-transduction pathway that governs immunity to a protein toxin involved in cannibalism by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Cells of B. subtilis enter the pathway to sporulate under conditions of nutrient limitation but delay becoming committed to spore formation by killing nonsporulating siblings and feeding on the dead cells. Killing is mediated by the exported toxic protein SdpC. We report that extracellular SdpC induces the synthesis of an immunity protein, SdpI, that protects toxin-producing cells from being killed. SdpI, a polytopic membrane protein, is encoded by a two-gene operon under sporulation control that contains the gene for an autorepressor, SdpR. The autorepressor binds to and blocks the promoter for the operon. Evidence indicates that SdpI is also a signal-transduction protein that responds to the SdpC toxin by sequestering the SdpR autorepressor at the membrane. Sequestration relieves repression and stimulates synthesis of immunity protein.

Genes, Bacterial

Promoter Regions, Genetic

DNA, Bacterial - metabolism

Signal Transduction

Operon

Bacterial Proteins - genetics

Bacterial Toxins - toxicity

Transcription Factors - genetics

Bacterial Proteins - physiology

Recombinant Fusion Proteins - metabolism

Bacillus subtilis - genetics

Transcription Factors - metabolism

Bacillus subtilis - physiology

DNA, Bacterial - genetics

Spores, Bacterial - physiology

Protein Binding

Recombinant Fusion Proteins - genetics

Bacterial Proteins - metabolism

Transcription, Genetic

Mutation

Bacillus subtilis - pathogenicity

Bacillus subtilis - drug effects

Details

Title: Subtitle: A three-protein signaling pathway governing immunity to a bacterial cannibalism toxin
Creators: Craig D Ellermeier - Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Errett C Hobbs
Jose E Gonzalez-Pastor
Richard Losick
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Cell (Cambridge), Vol.124(3), pp.549-559
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2005.11.041
PMID: 16469701
ISSN: 0092-8674
eISSN: 1097-4172
Grant note: GM18568 / NIGMS NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 02/10/2006
Academic Unit: Microbiology and Immunology
Record Identifier: 9984083887002771

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