Role of the small RNA RyhB in the Fur regulon in mediating the capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and iron acquisition systems in <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The capsular polysaccharide (CPS) and iron acquisition systems are important determinants of <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it> infections, and we have previously reported that the ferric uptake repressor (Fur) can play dual...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Huang Su-Hua, Wang Chien-Kuo, Peng Hwei-Ling, Wu Chien-Chen, Chen Ying-Tsong, Hong Yi-Ming, Lin Ching-Ting
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2012-07-01
Series:BMC Microbiology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/12/148
_version_ 1811260871597359104
author Huang Su-Hua
Wang Chien-Kuo
Peng Hwei-Ling
Wu Chien-Chen
Chen Ying-Tsong
Hong Yi-Ming
Lin Ching-Ting
author_facet Huang Su-Hua
Wang Chien-Kuo
Peng Hwei-Ling
Wu Chien-Chen
Chen Ying-Tsong
Hong Yi-Ming
Lin Ching-Ting
author_sort Huang Su-Hua
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The capsular polysaccharide (CPS) and iron acquisition systems are important determinants of <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it> infections, and we have previously reported that the ferric uptake repressor (Fur) can play dual role in iron acquisition and CPS biosynthesis. In many bacteria, Fur negatively controls the transcription of the small non-coding RNA RyhB to modulate cellular functions and virulence. However, in <it>K. pneumoniae</it>, the role played by RyhB in the Fur regulon has not been characterised. This study investigated Fur regulation of <it>ryhB</it> transcription and the functional role of RyhB in <it>K. pneumoniae</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Deletion of <it>fur</it> from <it>K. pneumoniae</it> increased the transcription of <it>ryhB</it>; the electric mobility shift assay and the Fur-titration assay revealed that Fur could bind to the promoter region of <it>ryhB</it>, suggesting that Fur directly represses <it>ryhB</it> transcription. Additionally, in a Δ<it>fur</it> strain with elevated CPS production, deletion of <it>ryhB</it> obviously reduced CPS production. The following promoter-reporter assay and quantitative real-time PCR of <it>cps</it> genes verified that RyhB activated <it>orf1</it> and <it>orf16</it> transcription to elevate CPS production. However, deletion of <it>ryhB</it> did not affect the mRNA levels of <it>rcsA</it>, <it>rmpA</it>, or <it>rmpA2</it>. These results imply that Fur represses the transcription of <it>ryhB</it> to mediate the biosynthesis of CPS, which is independent of RcsA, RmpA, and RmpA2. In addition, the Δ<it>fur</it> strain’s high level of serum resistance was attenuated by the deletion of <it>ryhB</it>, indicating that RyhB plays a positive role in protecting the bacterium from serum killing. Finally, deletion of <it>ryhB</it> in Δ<it>fur</it> reduced the expression of several genes corresponding to 3 iron acquisition systems in <it>K. pneumoniae,</it> and resulted in reduced siderophore production<it>.</it></p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The regulation and functional role of RyhB in <it>K. pneumoniae</it> is characterized in this study. RyhB participates in Fur regulon to modulate the bacterial CPS biosynthesis and iron acquisition systems in <it>K. pneumoniae</it>.</p>
first_indexed 2024-04-12T18:54:09Z
format Article
id doaj.art-908051fa8a58433384aef112a1ffc529
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1471-2180
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T18:54:09Z
publishDate 2012-07-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Microbiology
spelling doaj.art-908051fa8a58433384aef112a1ffc5292022-12-22T03:20:23ZengBMCBMC Microbiology1471-21802012-07-0112114810.1186/1471-2180-12-148Role of the small RNA RyhB in the Fur regulon in mediating the capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and iron acquisition systems in <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>Huang Su-HuaWang Chien-KuoPeng Hwei-LingWu Chien-ChenChen Ying-TsongHong Yi-MingLin Ching-Ting<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The capsular polysaccharide (CPS) and iron acquisition systems are important determinants of <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it> infections, and we have previously reported that the ferric uptake repressor (Fur) can play dual role in iron acquisition and CPS biosynthesis. In many bacteria, Fur negatively controls the transcription of the small non-coding RNA RyhB to modulate cellular functions and virulence. However, in <it>K. pneumoniae</it>, the role played by RyhB in the Fur regulon has not been characterised. This study investigated Fur regulation of <it>ryhB</it> transcription and the functional role of RyhB in <it>K. pneumoniae</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Deletion of <it>fur</it> from <it>K. pneumoniae</it> increased the transcription of <it>ryhB</it>; the electric mobility shift assay and the Fur-titration assay revealed that Fur could bind to the promoter region of <it>ryhB</it>, suggesting that Fur directly represses <it>ryhB</it> transcription. Additionally, in a Δ<it>fur</it> strain with elevated CPS production, deletion of <it>ryhB</it> obviously reduced CPS production. The following promoter-reporter assay and quantitative real-time PCR of <it>cps</it> genes verified that RyhB activated <it>orf1</it> and <it>orf16</it> transcription to elevate CPS production. However, deletion of <it>ryhB</it> did not affect the mRNA levels of <it>rcsA</it>, <it>rmpA</it>, or <it>rmpA2</it>. These results imply that Fur represses the transcription of <it>ryhB</it> to mediate the biosynthesis of CPS, which is independent of RcsA, RmpA, and RmpA2. In addition, the Δ<it>fur</it> strain’s high level of serum resistance was attenuated by the deletion of <it>ryhB</it>, indicating that RyhB plays a positive role in protecting the bacterium from serum killing. Finally, deletion of <it>ryhB</it> in Δ<it>fur</it> reduced the expression of several genes corresponding to 3 iron acquisition systems in <it>K. pneumoniae,</it> and resulted in reduced siderophore production<it>.</it></p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The regulation and functional role of RyhB in <it>K. pneumoniae</it> is characterized in this study. RyhB participates in Fur regulon to modulate the bacterial CPS biosynthesis and iron acquisition systems in <it>K. pneumoniae</it>.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/12/148RyhBFurCapsular polysaccharideIron acquisition system<it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>
spellingShingle Huang Su-Hua
Wang Chien-Kuo
Peng Hwei-Ling
Wu Chien-Chen
Chen Ying-Tsong
Hong Yi-Ming
Lin Ching-Ting
Role of the small RNA RyhB in the Fur regulon in mediating the capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and iron acquisition systems in <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>
BMC Microbiology
RyhB
Fur
Capsular polysaccharide
Iron acquisition system
<it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>
title Role of the small RNA RyhB in the Fur regulon in mediating the capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and iron acquisition systems in <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>
title_full Role of the small RNA RyhB in the Fur regulon in mediating the capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and iron acquisition systems in <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>
title_fullStr Role of the small RNA RyhB in the Fur regulon in mediating the capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and iron acquisition systems in <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>
title_full_unstemmed Role of the small RNA RyhB in the Fur regulon in mediating the capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and iron acquisition systems in <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>
title_short Role of the small RNA RyhB in the Fur regulon in mediating the capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and iron acquisition systems in <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>
title_sort role of the small rna ryhb in the fur regulon in mediating the capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and iron acquisition systems in it klebsiella pneumoniae it
topic RyhB
Fur
Capsular polysaccharide
Iron acquisition system
<it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2180/12/148
work_keys_str_mv AT huangsuhua roleofthesmallrnaryhbinthefurreguloninmediatingthecapsularpolysaccharidebiosynthesisandironacquisitionsystemsinitklebsiellapneumoniaeit
AT wangchienkuo roleofthesmallrnaryhbinthefurreguloninmediatingthecapsularpolysaccharidebiosynthesisandironacquisitionsystemsinitklebsiellapneumoniaeit
AT penghweiling roleofthesmallrnaryhbinthefurreguloninmediatingthecapsularpolysaccharidebiosynthesisandironacquisitionsystemsinitklebsiellapneumoniaeit
AT wuchienchen roleofthesmallrnaryhbinthefurreguloninmediatingthecapsularpolysaccharidebiosynthesisandironacquisitionsystemsinitklebsiellapneumoniaeit
AT chenyingtsong roleofthesmallrnaryhbinthefurreguloninmediatingthecapsularpolysaccharidebiosynthesisandironacquisitionsystemsinitklebsiellapneumoniaeit
AT hongyiming roleofthesmallrnaryhbinthefurreguloninmediatingthecapsularpolysaccharidebiosynthesisandironacquisitionsystemsinitklebsiellapneumoniaeit
AT linchingting roleofthesmallrnaryhbinthefurreguloninmediatingthecapsularpolysaccharidebiosynthesisandironacquisitionsystemsinitklebsiellapneumoniaeit