Characterization of FruR as a putative activator of the fructose operon of Spiroplasma citri

• Published in: FEMS microbiology letters 2001-04, Vol.198 (1), p.73-78
• Main Authors: Gaurivaud, P, Laigret, F, Garnier, M, Bove, J.M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Bacterial Proteins - metabolism; Bacteriology; Base Sequence; Binding Sites; Biocompatibility; Biological and medical sciences; Biology of microorganisms of confirmed or potential industrial interest; Biotechnology; Culture Media; DeoR family; Fermentation; Fructose; Fructose - metabolism; fruR gene; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; Gene regulation; Genetic Complementation Test; Genetics; glucose; Glucose - metabolism; In vivo methods and tests; Life Sciences; Methyl α‐glucoside; methyl-^a-glucoside; Methylglucosides - pharmacology; Microbiology; Microbiology and Parasitology; Miscellaneous; Mission oriented research; Molecular Sequence Data; Mollicute; Operon; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Regulation; Repressor Proteins - genetics; Repressor Proteins - metabolism; Spiroplasma; Spiroplasma - genetics; Spiroplasma - metabolism; Spiroplasma citri; Toxicity; Transcription; transcription (genetics); Transcription, Genetic
• ISSN: 0378-1097; 1574-6968
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2001.tb10621.x

The role of fruR, the first gene of the Spiroplasma citri fructose operon, was investigated. In vivo transcription of the fructose operon is greatly enhanced by the presence of fructose in the growth medium while glucose has no effect. When fruR is not expressed, transcription of the fructose operon is not stimulated by fructose, and fructose fermentation is decreased, indicating that FruR is an activator of the fructose operon. The promoter of the fructose operon was localized by primer extension, and a direct T-rich repeat was found to overlap the -35 box. This repeat could be the binding site of FruR. The presence of fructose in the culture medium also decreases the toxicity of methyl alpha-glucoside, however FruR is not involved in this regulation. This is the first description of transcription regulation of a mollicute operon.