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Unveiling the Coordinated action of DesK/DesR and YvfT/YvfU to control the expression of an ABC transporter in Bacillus subtilis .
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  • María Mansilla,
  • Fernández Pilar,
  • Porrini Lucía,
  • Pereyra Julián Ignacio,
  • Daniela Albanesi
María Mansilla
Universidad Nacional de Rosario

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Fernández Pilar
Universidad Nacional de Rosario
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Porrini Lucía
Universidad Nacional de Rosario
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Pereyra Julián Ignacio
Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario
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Daniela Albanesi
Universidad Nacional de Rosario
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Abstract

Two-component systems (TCSs) are vital signal transduction pathways ubiquitous among bacteria, facilitating their responses to diverse environmental stimuli. In Bacillus subtilis, the DesK histidine kinase thermosensor, together with the response regulator DesR, constitute a TCS dedicated to membrane lipid homeostasis maintenance. This TCS orchestrates the transcriptional regulation of the des gene, encoding the sole desaturase in these bacteria, Δ5-Des. Additionally, B. subtilis possesses a paralog TCS, YvfT/YvfU, with unknown target gene(s). In this work we show that YvfT/YvfU controls the expression of the yvfRS operon that codes for an ABC transporter. Interestingly, we found that this regulation also involves the action of DesK/DesR. Notably, opposite to des, yvfRS transcription is induced at 37°C and not at 25°C. Our in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrate that both YvfU and DesR directly bind to the operon promoter region, with DesR exerting its control over yvfRS expression in its unphosphorylated state. Our study uncovers an intriguing case of cross-regulation where two homologous TCSs interact closely to finely tune gene expression in response to environmental cues. These findings shed light on the complexity of bacterial signal transduction systems and their critical role in bacterial adaptability.
23 Feb 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
28 Jun 20241st Revision Received
30 Jun 2024Submission Checks Completed
30 Jun 2024Assigned to Editor
17 Jul 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending