کد مقاله | کد نشریه | سال انتشار | مقاله انگلیسی | نسخه تمام متن |
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3417029 | 1225173 | 2009 | 6 صفحه PDF | دانلود رایگان |
The virulence-associated alpha C protein (ACP) of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) facilitates the bacterial interaction with host epithelial cells. We previously demonstrated that phase-variable expression of ACP is controlled by variation in short-sequence repeat sequences present upstream of the promoter of bca, the gene encoding ACP. To determine if trans-acting transcriptional control also influences ACP expression, we developed an in silico prediction algorithm that identified a potential transcription-factor binding motif (TTT-N6-ATAT) in the bca upstream region. In vitro reporter gene expression studies confirmed that this motif is required for full ACP expression, and DNA-binding assays with a GBS protein extract demonstrated that the predicted site is bound by a protein. This approach demonstrates the utility of in silico genomic predictive methods in the study of GBS regulatory mechanisms.
Journal: Microbial Pathogenesis - Volume 46, Issue 6, June 2009, Pages 315–320