Autoinducer binding by the quorum-sensing regulator TraR increases affinity for target promoters in vitro and decreases TraR turnover rates in whole cells.

Zhu, J; Winans, S C · Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 1999

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

TraR is an Agrobacterium transcriptional regulator whose activity requires the pheromone N-3-oxooctanoyl-L-homoserine lactone. TraR was purified as a complex with the pheromone and contained one pheromone molecule per protein monomer. TraR-pheromone complexes bound to a single DNA site and activated two promoters that flank this site. Promoter expression was elevated 30-fold by using a supercoiled template. Pheromone binding increased the affinity of TraR for this binding site. Pheromone also increased TraR abundance in vivo by causing a 20-fold decrease in TraR turnover rates.

Medical subject headings