Global impact of sdiA amplification revealed by comprehensive gene expression profiling of Escherichia coli

In Escherichia coli the amplification of sdiA, a positive activator of ftsQAZ, genes that are essential for septation, results in mitomycin C resistance. To help us understand this resistance phenotype, genes whose expression was altered by increased sdiA dosage were identified using a DNA microarray-based, comprehensive transcript profiling method. The expression of 62 genes was reduced by more than threefold; of these, 41 are involved in motility and chemotaxis. Moreover, the expression of 75 genes, 36 of which had been previously characterized, was elevated at least threefold. As expected, increased sdiA dosage led to significantly elevated sdiA and 'ddlB-ftsQAZ-lpxC operon expression. Transcription of two genes, uvrY and uvrC, located downstream of sdiA and oriented in the same direction, was elevated about 10-fold, although the intervening gene, yecF, of opposite polarity was unaffected by increased sdiA dosage. Three genes (mioC and gidAB) flanking the replication origin, oriC, were transcribed more often when sdiA dosage was high, as were 12 genes within 1 min of a terminus of replication, terB. Transcription of the acrABDEF genes, mapping in three widely spaced loci, was elevated significantly, while several genes involved in DNA repair and replication (e.g., nei, recN, mioC, and mcrC) were moderately elevated in expression. Such global analysis provides a link between septation and the response to DNA-damaging agents.