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Global regulatory systems in bacteria enable rapid and coordinated responses to environmental changes by integrating sensory inputs with gene expression, ensuring efficient adaptation to fluctuating conditions. Key global regulatory mechanisms include regulons, two-component systems, sigma factors, and secondary messengers.Regulons and Global RegulatorsA regulon is a collection of genes and operons controlled by a common global regulator. These regulators enable bacteria to prioritize resource...
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Repressible Operon: trp Operon01:21

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The trp operon in Escherichia coli exemplifies a repressible operon. It regulates the synthesis of tryptophan through repressor-mediated transcriptional control and attenuation. This dual regulatory mechanism ensures tryptophan biosynthesis occurs only when needed, conserving cellular resources.Structure of the trp OperonThe trp operon consists of five structural genes (trpE, trpD, trpC, trpB, and trpA) that encode enzymes for tryptophan biosynthesis. These genes are transcribed as a single...
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Translational Regulation01:29

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Translational regulation in prokaryotes ensures efficient protein synthesis by controlling ribosome access to mRNA. This regulation is mediated by secondary RNA structures, including translational riboswitches, RNA thermometers, and small RNAs (sRNAs), which respond to intracellular and environmental signals to modulate gene expression.Translational RiboswitchesRiboswitches in the leader region of mRNAs can regulate translation by altering the accessibility of the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence,...
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Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

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Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
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Constitutive and Regulated Gene Expression01:27

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Gene expression in prokaryotes is governed by constitutive and regulated systems, allowing cells to balance the production of essential proteins with adaptive responses to environmental changes.Constitutive Gene ExpressionConstitutive, or housekeeping, genes are continuously expressed as they encode proteins vital for fundamental cellular processes. These include enzymes for glycolysis, ribosomal components for protein synthesis, and proteins involved in DNA replication. Their constant...
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The gene expression in cells is regulated at different stages: (i) transcription, (ii) RNA processing, (iii) RNA localization, and (iv) translation. Transcriptional regulation is mediated by regulatory proteins such as transcription factors, activators, or repressors—these control gene expression by initiating or inhibiting the transcription of genes. Once a precursor or pre-mRNA is produced, it undergoes post-transcriptional modification, including 5' capping, splicing, and the...
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Tunable phenotypic variability through an autoregulatory alternative sigma factor circuit.

Christian P Schwall1, Torkel E Loman1, Bruno M C Martins1,2

  • 1Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Molecular Systems Biology
|July 21, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Bacterial populations tune their stress preparedness using the sigma V circuit. This mechanism allows adaptation to environmental changes and past stress, ensuring survival through controlled phenotypic variability.

Keywords:
Bacillus subtilismicrobial systems biologysingle-cell time-lapse microscopystochastic gene expressionstress priming

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Systems Biology

Background:

  • Genetically identical bacteria exhibit phenotypic variability, crucial for survival under stress.
  • The mechanisms by which bacterial populations control this variability remain largely unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how Bacillus subtilis modulates phenotypic variability in response to stress.
  • To elucidate the role of the alternative sigma factor sigma V (σV) circuit in this process.

Main Methods:

  • Single-cell time-lapse microscopy
  • Microfluidics
  • Mathematical modeling
  • Genetic perturbations of the sigV operon

Main Results:

  • The fraction of cells activating σV is tunable by stress level and prior environmental history.
  • A transcriptional memory mechanism influences immediate σV activation.
  • The autoregulatory feedback of the sigV operon explains the observed tunability.

Conclusions:

  • The σV circuit in Bacillus subtilis generates tunable functional phenotypic variability.
  • Autoregulation within the sigV operon allows bacterial populations to adjust heterogeneity based on environmental cues and history.
  • This conserved mechanism provides a simple strategy for bacterial adaptation and survival.