Multiple sensors control reciprocal expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa regulatory RNA and virulence genes

Isabelle Ventre, Andrew L. Goodman, Isabelle Vallet-Gely, Perrine Vasseur, Chantal Soscia, Søren Molin, Sophie Bleves, Andrée Lazdunski, Stephen Lory, Alain Filloux*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

357 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is responsible for a wide range of acute and chronic infections. The transition to chronic infections is accompanied by physiological changes in the bacteria favoring formation of biofilm communities. Here we report the identification of LadS, a hybrid sensor kinase that controls the reciprocal expression of genes for type III secretion and biofilm-promoting polysaccharides. Domain organization of LadS and the range of LadS-controlled genes suggest that it counteracts the activities of another sensor kinase, RetS. These two pathways converge by controlling the transcription of a small regulatory RNA, RsmZ. This work identifies a previously undescribed signal transduction network in which the activities of signal-receiving sensor kinases LadS, RetS, and GacS regulate expression of virulence genes associated with acute or chronic infection by transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)171-176
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume103
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 3 2006
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • General

Keywords

  • Biofilm
  • pel genes
  • Small RNA
  • Two-component system
  • Type III secretion

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