Regulatory circuits controlling enterococcal conjugation: lessons for functional genomics
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Mapping Bacterial Functional Networks and Pathways in Escherichia Coli using Synthetic Genetic Arrays
Published on: November 12, 2012
Gary M Dunny1, Christopher M Johnson
1Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. dunny001@umn.edu
Abstract:
The regulatory system controlling pheromone-induced plasmid transfer in Enterococcus faecalis is the most thoroughly studied genetic system of this species. Transcription initiation from the target promoter is controlled by a pheromone receptor/repressor protein whose activity is determined by its interaction with two peptide signaling molecules that compete for the same binding site, but have opposing effects on the activity of the receptor protein. For the system to function as a sensitive and robust biological switch, several additional levels of post-transcriptional regulation are also required. Expression of important functions encoded within the enterococcal core genome may also be controlled by multilayered regulatory circuitry. The pheromone system may serve as a useful paradigm to guide comprehensive functional genomic analysis of E. faecalis.
Related Concept Videos
Global Regulatory Systems
Mechanism of Conjugation
Regulation of Bacterial Virulence
Coordination of Gene Expression Processes in Bacteria
Conjugation
Constitutive and Regulated Gene Expression

