Sulfane Sulfur Is a Strong Inducer of the Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Regulator MarR in <i>Escherichia coli</i>
Sulfane sulfur, including persulfide and polysulfide, is produced from the metabolism of sulfur-containing organic compounds or from sulfide oxidation. It is a normal cellular component, participating in signaling. In bacteria, it modifies gene regulators to activate the expression of genes involved...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Antioxidants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/11/1778 |
| _version_ | 1797511425111883776 |
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| author | Huangwei Xu Guanhua Xuan Huaiwei Liu Yongzhen Xia Luying Xun |
| author_facet | Huangwei Xu Guanhua Xuan Huaiwei Liu Yongzhen Xia Luying Xun |
| author_sort | Huangwei Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sulfane sulfur, including persulfide and polysulfide, is produced from the metabolism of sulfur-containing organic compounds or from sulfide oxidation. It is a normal cellular component, participating in signaling. In bacteria, it modifies gene regulators to activate the expression of genes involved in sulfur metabolism. However, to determine whether sulfane sulfur is a common signal in bacteria, additional evidence is required. The ubiquitous multiple antibiotic resistance regulator (MarR) family of regulators controls the expression of numerous genes, but the intrinsic inducers are often elusive. Recently, two MarR family members, <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> MexR and <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> MgrA, have been reported to sense sulfane sulfur. Here, we report that <i>Escherichia coli</i> MarR, the prototypical member of the family, also senses sulfane sulfur to form one or two disulfide or trisulfide bonds between two dimers. Although the tetramer with two disulfide bonds does not bind to its target DNA, our results suggest that the tetramer with one disulfide bond does bind to its target DNA, with reduced affinity. An MarR-repressed mKate reporter is strongly induced by polysulfide in <i>E. coli</i>. Further investigation is needed to determine whether sulfane sulfur is a common signal of the family members, but three members sense cellular sulfane sulfur to turn on antibiotic resistance genes. The findings offer additional support for a general signaling role of sulfane sulfur in bacteria. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:45:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-52e23d59fba5463fb479b98ab4c70620 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3921 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:45:04Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antioxidants |
| spelling | doaj.art-52e23d59fba5463fb479b98ab4c706202023-11-22T22:13:34ZengMDPI AGAntioxidants2076-39212021-11-011011177810.3390/antiox10111778Sulfane Sulfur Is a Strong Inducer of the Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Regulator MarR in <i>Escherichia coli</i>Huangwei Xu0Guanhua Xuan1Huaiwei Liu2Yongzhen Xia3Luying Xun4State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, 72 Binhai Road, Qingdao 266237, ChinaSulfane sulfur, including persulfide and polysulfide, is produced from the metabolism of sulfur-containing organic compounds or from sulfide oxidation. It is a normal cellular component, participating in signaling. In bacteria, it modifies gene regulators to activate the expression of genes involved in sulfur metabolism. However, to determine whether sulfane sulfur is a common signal in bacteria, additional evidence is required. The ubiquitous multiple antibiotic resistance regulator (MarR) family of regulators controls the expression of numerous genes, but the intrinsic inducers are often elusive. Recently, two MarR family members, <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> MexR and <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> MgrA, have been reported to sense sulfane sulfur. Here, we report that <i>Escherichia coli</i> MarR, the prototypical member of the family, also senses sulfane sulfur to form one or two disulfide or trisulfide bonds between two dimers. Although the tetramer with two disulfide bonds does not bind to its target DNA, our results suggest that the tetramer with one disulfide bond does bind to its target DNA, with reduced affinity. An MarR-repressed mKate reporter is strongly induced by polysulfide in <i>E. coli</i>. Further investigation is needed to determine whether sulfane sulfur is a common signal of the family members, but three members sense cellular sulfane sulfur to turn on antibiotic resistance genes. The findings offer additional support for a general signaling role of sulfane sulfur in bacteria.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/11/1778sulfane sulfursignalingMarRDNA bindingantibiotic resistance |
| spellingShingle | Huangwei Xu Guanhua Xuan Huaiwei Liu Yongzhen Xia Luying Xun Sulfane Sulfur Is a Strong Inducer of the Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Regulator MarR in <i>Escherichia coli</i> Antioxidants sulfane sulfur signaling MarR DNA binding antibiotic resistance |
| title | Sulfane Sulfur Is a Strong Inducer of the Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Regulator MarR in <i>Escherichia coli</i> |
| title_full | Sulfane Sulfur Is a Strong Inducer of the Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Regulator MarR in <i>Escherichia coli</i> |
| title_fullStr | Sulfane Sulfur Is a Strong Inducer of the Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Regulator MarR in <i>Escherichia coli</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sulfane Sulfur Is a Strong Inducer of the Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Regulator MarR in <i>Escherichia coli</i> |
| title_short | Sulfane Sulfur Is a Strong Inducer of the Multiple Antibiotic Resistance Regulator MarR in <i>Escherichia coli</i> |
| title_sort | sulfane sulfur is a strong inducer of the multiple antibiotic resistance regulator marr in i escherichia coli i |
| topic | sulfane sulfur signaling MarR DNA binding antibiotic resistance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/11/1778 |
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