Cited by 202Tuberculosis Research and EpidemiologyBacterial Genetics and BiotechnologyEscherichia coli research studies

Secreted transcription factor controls Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence

Open access
Raghavan, Sridharan, Manzanillo, Paolo, Chan, Kaman, Dovey, Cole, Cox, Jeffery S.·2008·Nature

Abstract

Bacterial pathogens trigger specialized virulence factor secretion systems on encountering host cells. The ESX-1 protein secretion system of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-the causative agent of the human disease tuberculosis-delivers bacterial proteins into host cells during infection and is critical for virulence, but how it is regulated is unknown. Here we show that EspR (also known as Rv3849) is a key regulator of ESX-1 that is required for secretion and virulence in mice. EspR activates transcription of an operon that includes three ESX-1 components, Rv3616c-Rv3614c, whose expression in turn promotes secretion of ESX-1 substrates. EspR directly binds to and activates the Rv3616c-Rv3614c promoter and, unexpectedly, is itself secreted from the bacterial cell by the ESX-1 system that it regulates. Efflux of the DNA-binding regulator results in reduced Rv3616c-Rv3614c transcription, and thus reduced ESX-1 secretion. Our results reveal a direct negative feedback loop that regulates the activity of a secretion system essential for virulence. As the virulence factors secreted by the ESX-1 system are highly antigenic, fine control of secretion may be critical to successful infection.

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  • Four ESX-1 substrates have been identified in addition to ESAT-6 and CFP-10: EspA, EspB, EspR, and the M. marinum homologue of Rv3864.

    “Thus far, four ESX-1 substrates have been identified in addition to ESAT-6 and CFP-10. These substrates are called EspA [39], EspB [46], EspR [41], and the M. marinum homologue of Rv3864 [22].”

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Authors
Raghavan, S., Manzanillo, P., Chan, K., Dovey, C., & Cox, J. S.
Affiliations
University of California, San Francisco (US)
Corresponding author
Cox, Jeffery S.
Venue
Nature
Published
2008-08-07
Volume
454
Issue
7205
Pages
717-721
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W1973827044
Cited by
202
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 19
FWCI
12.06
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • W. M. Keck Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (AI63302, AI51667, R01AI051667, P01AI063302)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Endocrinology › Escherichia coli research studies
Keywords
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, ESX-1 secretion system, transcriptional regulation, virulence factors, negative feedback loop, promoter activation, tuberculosis vaccine development, host-pathogen interaction
MeSH terms
Animals, Bacterial Proteins, Macrophages, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Operon, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Transcription Factors, Transcription, Genetic, Virulence, Transcriptional Activation, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Virulence Factors, Mice

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