Horizontally acquired AT-rich genes in Escherichia coli cause toxicity by sequestering RNA polymerase
Horizontal gene transfer permits rapid dissemination of genetic elements between individuals in bacterial populations. Transmitted DNA sequences may encode favourable traits. However, if the acquired DNA has an atypical base composition, it can reduce host fitness. Consequently, bacteria have evolve...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer Nature
2017
|
| _version_ | 1826277161869246464 |
|---|---|
| author | Lamberte, L Baniulyte, G Singh, S Stringer, A Bonocora, R Stracy, M Kapanidis, A Wade, J Grainger, D |
| author_facet | Lamberte, L Baniulyte, G Singh, S Stringer, A Bonocora, R Stracy, M Kapanidis, A Wade, J Grainger, D |
| author_sort | Lamberte, L |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Horizontal gene transfer permits rapid dissemination of genetic elements between individuals in bacterial populations. Transmitted DNA sequences may encode favourable traits. However, if the acquired DNA has an atypical base composition, it can reduce host fitness. Consequently, bacteria have evolved strategies to minimize the harmful effects of foreign genes. Most notably, xenogeneic silencing proteins bind incoming DNA that has a higher AT content than the host genome. An enduring question has been why such sequences are deleterious. Here, we showed that the toxicity of AT-rich DNA in Escherichia coli frequently results from constitutive transcription initiation within the coding regions of genes. Left unchecked, this causes titration of RNA polymerase and a global downshift in host gene expression. Accordingly, a mutation in RNA polymerase that diminished the impact of AT-rich DNA on host fitness reduced transcription from constitutive, but not activator-dependent, promoters. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:24:44Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:69f8e4b2-8941-4b5e-a974-21ee36c22add |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:24:44Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Springer Nature |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:69f8e4b2-8941-4b5e-a974-21ee36c22add2022-03-26T18:54:30ZHorizontally acquired AT-rich genes in Escherichia coli cause toxicity by sequestering RNA polymeraseJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:69f8e4b2-8941-4b5e-a974-21ee36c22addEnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordSpringer Nature2017Lamberte, LBaniulyte, GSingh, SStringer, ABonocora, RStracy, MKapanidis, AWade, JGrainger, DHorizontal gene transfer permits rapid dissemination of genetic elements between individuals in bacterial populations. Transmitted DNA sequences may encode favourable traits. However, if the acquired DNA has an atypical base composition, it can reduce host fitness. Consequently, bacteria have evolved strategies to minimize the harmful effects of foreign genes. Most notably, xenogeneic silencing proteins bind incoming DNA that has a higher AT content than the host genome. An enduring question has been why such sequences are deleterious. Here, we showed that the toxicity of AT-rich DNA in Escherichia coli frequently results from constitutive transcription initiation within the coding regions of genes. Left unchecked, this causes titration of RNA polymerase and a global downshift in host gene expression. Accordingly, a mutation in RNA polymerase that diminished the impact of AT-rich DNA on host fitness reduced transcription from constitutive, but not activator-dependent, promoters. |
| spellingShingle | Lamberte, L Baniulyte, G Singh, S Stringer, A Bonocora, R Stracy, M Kapanidis, A Wade, J Grainger, D Horizontally acquired AT-rich genes in Escherichia coli cause toxicity by sequestering RNA polymerase |
| title | Horizontally acquired AT-rich genes in Escherichia coli cause toxicity by sequestering RNA polymerase |
| title_full | Horizontally acquired AT-rich genes in Escherichia coli cause toxicity by sequestering RNA polymerase |
| title_fullStr | Horizontally acquired AT-rich genes in Escherichia coli cause toxicity by sequestering RNA polymerase |
| title_full_unstemmed | Horizontally acquired AT-rich genes in Escherichia coli cause toxicity by sequestering RNA polymerase |
| title_short | Horizontally acquired AT-rich genes in Escherichia coli cause toxicity by sequestering RNA polymerase |
| title_sort | horizontally acquired at rich genes in escherichia coli cause toxicity by sequestering rna polymerase |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lambertel horizontallyacquiredatrichgenesinescherichiacolicausetoxicitybysequesteringrnapolymerase AT baniulyteg horizontallyacquiredatrichgenesinescherichiacolicausetoxicitybysequesteringrnapolymerase AT singhs horizontallyacquiredatrichgenesinescherichiacolicausetoxicitybysequesteringrnapolymerase AT stringera horizontallyacquiredatrichgenesinescherichiacolicausetoxicitybysequesteringrnapolymerase AT bonocorar horizontallyacquiredatrichgenesinescherichiacolicausetoxicitybysequesteringrnapolymerase AT stracym horizontallyacquiredatrichgenesinescherichiacolicausetoxicitybysequesteringrnapolymerase AT kapanidisa horizontallyacquiredatrichgenesinescherichiacolicausetoxicitybysequesteringrnapolymerase AT wadej horizontallyacquiredatrichgenesinescherichiacolicausetoxicitybysequesteringrnapolymerase AT graingerd horizontallyacquiredatrichgenesinescherichiacolicausetoxicitybysequesteringrnapolymerase |