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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Virus and Prion Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #308595
Title: Expression of bvg-repressed genes in Bordetella pertussis is controlled by RisA through a novel c-di-GMP signaling pathway

Author
item TRAINOR, ELIZABETH - Food And Drug Administration(FDA)
item WARFEL, JASON - Food And Drug Administration(FDA)
item Nicholson, Tracy
item KOESTLER, BENJAMIN - Michigan State University
item ZIMMERMAN, LINDSEY - Food And Drug Administration(FDA)
item KELLY, VANESSA - Food And Drug Administration(FDA)
item WATERS, CHRISTOPHER - Michigan State University
item MERKEL, TOD - Food And Drug Administration(FDA)

Submitted to: American Society for Microbiology General Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2014
Publication Date: 8/1/2014
Citation: Trainor, E.A., Warfel, J.M., Nicholson, T.L., Koestler, B.J., Zimmerman, L.I., Kelly, V.K., Waters, C.M., Merkel, T.J. 2014. Expression of bvg-repressed genes in Bordetella pertussis is controlled by RisA through a novel c-di-GMP signaling pathway. 114th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Paper No. 728. p. 127.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The BvgAS two component system of Bordetella pertussis controls virulence factor expression. In addition, BvgAS controls expression of the bvg-repressed genes through the action of the repressor, BvgR. The transcription factor RisA is inhibited by BvgR, and when BvgR is not expressed RisA induces the transcription of the bvg-repressed genes. RisA is an orphan response regulator in B. pertussis, and the mechanism by which RisA activity is regulated is unknown. We report here that RisA activity is controlled by a previously unidentified c-di-GMP signaling pathway. We identified a gene, designated risX, as an active diguanylate cyclase that is required for RisA activation. In addition, BvgR was demonstrated to be a putative phosphodiesterase suggesting BvgR modulates c-di-GMP. We also show that RisA is able to bind c-di-GMP directly and identified a novel set of risA-activated genes. Together, our results support a model whereby the B. pertussis orphan response regulator RisA activates transcription of the bvg-repressed genes through a novel c-di-GMP signaling pathway.