A stationary-phase protein of Escherichia coli that affects the mode of association between the trp repressor protein and operator-bearing DNA

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993 Jun 15;90(12):5796-800. doi: 10.1073/pnas.90.12.5796.

Abstract

Highly purified preparations of trp repressor (TrpR) protein derived from Escherichia coli strains that were engineered to overexpress this material were found to contain another protein, of 21 kDa. The second protein, designated WrbA [for tryptophan (W) repressor-binding protein] remained associated with its namesake through several sequential protein fractionation steps. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the WrbA protein guided the design of two degenerate oligonucleotides that were used as probes in the cloning of the wrbA gene (198 codons). The WrbA protein, in purified form, was found by several criteria to enhance the formation and/or stability of noncovalent complexes between TrpR holorepressor and its primary operator targets. The formation of an operator-holorepressor-WrbA ternary complex was demonstrated by gel mobility-shift analysis. The WrbA protein alone does not interact with the trp operator. During the stationary phase, cells deficient in the WrbA protein were less efficient than wild type in their ability to repress the trp promoter. It is proposed that the WrbA protein functions as an accessory element in blocking TrpR-specific transcriptional processes that might be physiologically disadvantageous in the stationary phase of the bacterial life cycle.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Bacterial Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Base Sequence
  • Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / genetics
  • Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / metabolism
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / biosynthesis
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Deoxyribonuclease I
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli / growth & development
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism*
  • Escherichia coli Proteins*
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutagenesis
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Restriction Mapping

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • TRPR protein, E coli
  • WrbA protein, E coli
  • Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase
  • Deoxyribonuclease I

Associated data

  • GENBANK/M99166