The LuxR regulator protein controls synthesis of polyhydroxybutyrate in Vibrio harveyi

The LuxR regulatory protein of Vibrio harveyi has been shown to control synthesis of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) as well as luminescence so as to occur at high cell density, suggesting that it is a general regulatory protein. Mutants defective in the production of LuxR (D1, D34, and MR1130) were found to be missing PHB, whose synthesis could be restored by complementation with luxR. Triparental mating with a V. harveyi genomic library revealed the presence of three genomic clones (G1, G2 and G3) that could also restore PHB synthesis and luminescence to cells which express low levels of luxR (D1 and D34) but not to luxR- cells (MR1130) suggesting that luxR expression was being stimulated. Analyses of luxR mRNA levels by mRNA dot blot hybridization and by primer extension confirmed that luxR mRNA levels were increased 4 to 7-fold in the D1 and D34 cells by the G1, G2 and G3 fragments and show that expression of a single genomic copy of luxR is sufficient to restore synthesis of PHB. The results demonstrate that V. harveyi LuxR controls the induction of a process not intimately involved in the bioluminescence system and clearly distinguishes its role in V. harveyi from that of LuxR from Vibrio (Photobacterium) fischeri, which has only been associated with regulation of light emission.