Regulation of gene transcription is the initial step in the complex process that controls gene expression within bacteria. Transcriptional control involves the joint effort of RNA polymerases and numerous other regulatory factors. Whether global or local, positive or negative, regulators play an essential role in the bacterial cell. For instance, some regulators specifically modify the transcription of virulence genes, thereby being indispensable to pathogenic bacteria. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of important transcription factors and DNA-binding proteins described for the virulent bacterium Francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularemia. This is an unexplored research area, and the poorly described networks of transcription factors merit additional experimental studies to help elucidate the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis in this bacterium, and how they contribute to disease.
Locus Tag | Gene | Main Function | Reference | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Schu S4 | LVS | U112 | |||
FTT_1275 | FTL_1185 | FTN_1290 | mglA | interacting with SspA, regulation of FPI genes, necessary for intracellular replication | [27,28,29,30,34,35] |
FTT_0458 | FTL_1606 | FTN_0549 | sspA | interacting with MglA, regulation of FPI genes, necessary for stress response | [28,30,34,36] |
FTT_0383 | FTL_0449 | FTN_0480 | pigR | interacting with MglA/SspA, regulation of FPI genes | [31,32,37,38,39,40,41] |
FTT_0627 | FTL_0895 | FTN_1054 | hupB | global regulator, DNA non-specific binding protein | [42] |
FTT_0630 | FTL_0898 | FTN_1051 | hfq | RNA-binding protein, necessary for stress response, negative regulator of pdp operon | [43,44,45] |
FTT_0748 | FTL_1364 | FTN_0720 | iclR | important only for F. novicida virulence in vivo | [46,47,48] |
FTT_0556c | FTL_1014 | FTN_0959 | oxyR | regulation of genes involved in oxidative stress response | [49,50] |
FTT_1255c | FTL_0689 | FTN_1274 | araC | global regulator, active during oxidative stress conditions, regulation of some FPI genes and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle during oxidative stress | [51] |
FTT_0030c | FTL_1831 | FTN_1681 | fur | regulation of iron concentration | [52,53,54,55] |
FTT_0350 | FTL_0261 | FTN_0264 | rpoA1 | RNAP subunit A1, gene transcription | [30,56] |
FTT_1442c | FTL_0616 | FTN_1412 | rpoA2 | RNAP subunit A2, gene transcription | [30,56] |
FTT_0144 | FTL_1744 | FTN_1568 | rpoB | RNAP subunit β, gene transcription | [30] |
FTT_0145 | FTL_1743 | FTN_1567 | rpoC | RNAP subunit β’, gene transcription | [30] |
FTT_0703 | FTL_1533 | FTN_0613 | rpoZ | RNAP subunit ω, gene transcription | [30] |
FTT_1035c | FTL_1050 | FTN_0913 | rpoD | sigma factor 70, major sigma factor | [30,57] |
FTT_1112c | FTL_0851 | FTN_1092 | rpoH | sigma factor 32, regulation of heat shock proteins | [30,57,58,59] |
FTT_1557c | FTL_0552 | FTN_1465 | pmrA/qseB | response regulator, important for biofilm formation in F. novicida, intracellular replication, interacting with MglA/SspA | [60,61,62,63,64] |
FTT_1735c (pseudo) | - | FTN_1714 | kdpE | response regulator, regulation of potassium | [47,65] |
FTT_1543 | - | FTN_1452 | bfpR | positive regulator of antimicrobial peptide resistance, regulation of biofilm in F. novicida | [66] |
Locus Tag | Gene | Description | Reference |
---|---|---|---|
FTT_1344 | pdpA | FPI, Pathogenicity determinant protein A | [28] |
FTT_1345 (FTN_1310) | pdpB | FPI, Pathogenicity determinant protein B | [28,29] |
FTT_1346 | iglE | FPI, Intracellular growth locus E | [28] |
FTT_1347 | vgrG | FPI, Valine-glycine repeat protein G | [28] |
FTT_1348 | iglF | FPI, Intracellular growth locus F | [28] |
FTT_1349 | iglG | FPI, Intracellular growth locus G | [28] |
FTT_1350 | iglH | FPI, Intracellular growth locus H | [28] |
FTT_1351 | dotU | FPI, DotU domain-containing protein | [28] |
FTT_1352 | iglI | FPI, Intracellular growth locus I | [28] |
FTT_1353 | iglJ | FPI, Intracellular growth locus J | [28] |
FTT_1354 | pdpC | FPI, Pathogenicity determinant protein C | [28] |
FTT_1355 | pdpE | FPI, Pathogenicity determinant protein E | [28] |
FTT_1356c | iglD | FPI, Intracellular growth locus D | [28] |
FTT_1357c (FTN_1322) | iglC | FPI, Intracellular growth locus C | [28,29] |
FTT_1358c (FTN_1323) | iglB | FPI, Intracellular growth locus B | [28,29] |
FTT_1359c (FTN_1324) | iglA | FPI, Intracellular growth locus A | [28,29] |
FTT_1360c (FTN_1325) | pdpD | FPI, Pathogenicity determinant protein D | [28,29] |
FTN_1051 | hfq | Host factor for bacteriophage Qβ RNA replication | [29] |
FTN_0549 | sspA | Stringent starvation protein A | [29] |
FTN_1054 | hupB | DNA-binding protein HU-beta | [29] |
This entry is adapted from the peer-reviewed paper 10.3390/microorganisms8101622