Role of oxygen and the OxyR protein in the response to iron limitation in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Please always quote using this URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-115357
  • Background: High intracellular levels of unbound iron can contribute to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the Fenton reaction, while depletion of iron limits the availability of iron-containing proteins, some of which have important functions in defence against oxidative stress. Vice versa increased ROS levels lead to the damage of proteins with iron sulphur centres. Thus, organisms have to coordinate and balance their responses to oxidative stress and iron availability. Our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying theBackground: High intracellular levels of unbound iron can contribute to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the Fenton reaction, while depletion of iron limits the availability of iron-containing proteins, some of which have important functions in defence against oxidative stress. Vice versa increased ROS levels lead to the damage of proteins with iron sulphur centres. Thus, organisms have to coordinate and balance their responses to oxidative stress and iron availability. Our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying the co-regulation of these responses remains limited. To discriminate between a direct cellular response to iron limitation and indirect responses, which are the consequence of increased levels of ROS, we compared the response of the alpha-proteobacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides to iron limitation in the presence or absence of oxygen. Results: One third of all genes with altered expression under iron limitation showed a response that was independent of oxygen availability. The other iron-regulated genes showed different responses in oxic or anoxic conditions and were grouped into six clusters based on the different expression profiles. For two of these clusters, induction in response to iron limitation under oxic conditions was dependent on the OxyR regulatory protein. An OxyR mutant showed increased ROS production and impaired growth under iron limitation. Conclusion: Some R. sphaeroides genes respond to iron limitation irrespective of oxygen availability. These genes therefore reflect a "core iron response" that is independent of potential ROS production under oxic, iron-limiting conditions. However, the regulation of most of the iron-responsive genes was biased by oxygen availability. Most strikingly, the OxyR-dependent activation of a subset of genes upon iron limitation under oxic conditions, including many genes with a role in iron metabolism, revealed that elevated ROS levels were an important trigger for this response. OxyR thus provides a regulatory link between the responses to oxidative stress and to iron limitation in R. sphaeroides.show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author: Bernhard Remes, Bork A. Berghoff, Konrad U. Förstner, Gabriele Klug
URN:urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-115357
Document Type:Journal article
Faculties:Medizinische Fakultät / Institut für Molekulare Infektionsbiologie
Language:English
Parent Title (English):BMC Genomics
ISSN:1471-2164
Year of Completion:2014
Volume:15
Issue:794
Source:BMC Genomics 2014, 15:794. doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-794
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-15-794
Pubmed Id:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25220182
Dewey Decimal Classification:6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
Tag:OxyR; RNAseq; Rhodobacter sphaeroides; dependent gene-expression; escherichia coli; hydrogen-peroxide; iron limitation; oxidative stress; transcriptomics
Release Date:2015/07/14
Licence (German):License LogoCC BY: Creative-Commons-Lizenz: Namensnennung