Journal
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
Volume 190, Issue 9, Pages 3169-3175Publisher
AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY
DOI: 10.1128/JB.01918-07
Keywords
-
Categories
Funding
- NIGMS NIH HHS [GM069509, R01 GM069509] Funding Source: Medline
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Gene pairs specific for a toxin and its antitoxin are called toxin-antitoxin modules and are found on the chromosomes of many bacteria. The most studied of these modules is Escherichia coli mazEF, in which mazF encodes a stable toxin, MazF, and mazE encodes a labile antitoxin, MazE, which prevents the lethal effect of MazF. In a previous report from this laboratory, it was shown that mazEF-mediated cell death is a population phenomenon requiring a quorum-sensing peptide called the extracellular death factor (EDF). EDF is the linear pentapeptide NNWNN (32). Here, we further confirm that EDF is a signal molecule in a mixed population. In addition, we characterize some physiological conditions and genes required for EDF production and response. Furthermore, stress response and the gene specifying MazEF, the Zwf (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) gene, and the protease ClpXP are critical in EDF production. Significant strain differences in EDF production and response explain variations in the induction of mazEF-mediated cell death.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available