Conclusion
Therefore as a consequence of our studies to date a picture is beginning to emerge of a complex integrated regulatory system involving a number of interacting regulatory proteins and over-arching regulatory control circuits (Fig. 1). The key questions that we need to address are how is transcription from the region 1 and 3 promoters co-ordinated? What is the role of global regulators such as H-NS in repressing transcription at 20ºC? How is capsule expression regulated in vivo and is capsule expression co-ordinated with the expression of other cell surface structures involved in disease?Answering these questions represents a fascinating biological problem.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Whitfield, C., and Valvano, M., 1993, Biosynthesis and expression of cell surface polysaccharides in gram-negative bacteria. Adv. Micro Phyiol. 35: 135–246.
Moxon, E.R., and Kroll, J.S., 1990, The role of bacterial polysaccharide capsules as virulence factors. Curr Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 150 65–86.
Cross, AS., 1990, The biologic significance of bacterial encapsulation. Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 150: 87–95.
Michalek, M., Mold, C., and Bremer, E., 1988, Inhibition of the alternative pathway of human complement by structural analogues ofsialic acid. J. Immunol. 140 1588–1599.
Finne, J., 1982, Occurrence of unique polysialosyl carbohydrate units in glycoproteins of developing brain. J. Biol. Chem 257: 11966–11970.
Lindahl, U., Lidholt, Y., Spillmann, D., and Kjellen, L., 1994, More to “heparin” that anticoagulation. Thrombin Res. 75: 1–32.
Lifely, M.R., Moreno, C., Lindon, J.C., 1987, Anintegrated molecular and immunological approach towards a meningococcal group B vaccine. Vaccine 5: 11–26.
Costerton, J.W., Chjeng, K-J, Geesey, G.G., Ladd, T.I., Nickel, J.C., Dasgupta, M., and Marrie T., 1987, Bacterial biofilms in nature and disease. Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 41: 435–64.
Lam, J., Cham, R., Lam, K., and Costeron, J.W., 1980, Production of mucoid microcolonies by Pseudomonas aeruginosa within infected lungs in cystic fibrosis. Infect. Immunol. 28: 546–556.
Jann, K., and Jann, B., 1992, Capsules of Escherichia coli expression and biological significance. Can J. Microbiol. 38: 705–10.
Roberts, I.S., 1995, Bacterial polysaccharides in sickness and in health. Microbiology 141: 2023–2031.
Roberts I.S., 1996, The biochemistry and genetics of capsular polysaccharide production in bacteria. Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 50: 285–315.
Whitfield, C., and Roberts, I.S., 1999, Structure, assembly and regulation of expression of capsules in Escherichia coli. Mol. Microbiol. 31: 1307–1320.
Gransden, W.R., Eykyn, S.J., Phillips, I., and Rowe, B., 1990, Bactermia due to Escherichia coli: a study of 861 episodes. J. Infect. Dis. 12: 1008–1018.
Mekalanos, J., 1992, Environmental signals controlling expression of virulence determinants in bacteria. J. Bacteriol. 174: 1–7.
Pazzani, C., Rosenow, C., Boulnois, G.J., Jann, K., and Roberts, I.S., 1993, Molecular analysis of region 1 of the Escherichia coli K1. J. Biol. Chem. 269: 20149–20158.
Simpson, D., Hammarton, T., and Roberts, I.S., 1993, Transcriptional organisation and regulation of expression of region 1 of the Escherichia coli K5 capsule gene cluster. J. Bacteriol. 178: 6466–6474.
Stevens, M.P., Clarke, B.R., and Roberts, I.S., 1997, Regulation of the Escherichia coli K5 capsule gene cluster by transcription anitermination. Mol. Microbiol. 24: 1001–1012.
Petit, C., Rigg, G.P., Pazzani, C., Smith, A., Sieberth, V., Stevens, M., Boulnois, G.J., Jann, K., and Roberts, I.S., 1995, Region 2 of the Escherichia coli K5 polysaccharide. Mol. Microbiol. 17: 611–620.
Bliss, J.M., and Silver, R.P., 1996, Coating the surface: a model for expression of capsular polysialic acid in Escherichia coli K1. Mol. Microbiol. 21: 221–231.
Rigg, G.P., Barrett, B., and Roberts, I.S., 1998, The localisation of KpsC, S and T and Kfia, C and D proteins involved in the biosynthesis of the Escherichia coli K5 capsular polysaccharide: evidence for a membrane-bound complex. Microbiology 144: 2905–2914.
Rosenow, C., Roberts, I.S., and Jann, K., 1995, Isolation from recombinant Escherichia coli and characterisation of CMP-Kdo synthetase, involved in the expression of the capsular K5 polysaccharide (K-CKS). FEMS Microbiol. Lett 125: 159–164.
Griffiths, G., Cook, N. J., Gottfridson, E., Lind, T., Lidholt, K., and Roberts, I.S., 1998, Characterisation of the glycosyltransferase enzyme from the Escherichia coli K5 capsule gene cluster and identification and characterisation of the glucuronyl active site. J. Biol. Chem. 273: 11752–11757.
Sieberth, V., Rigg, G., Roberts, I.S., and Jann, K., 1995, Expression and characterisation of UDPGlc dehydrogenase (KfiD), which is encoded in the type-specific region 2 of the Escherichia coli K5 capsule genes. J. Bacteriol. 177: 4562–4565.
Stevens, M., 1995, PhD Thesis Regulation of Escherichia coli K5 capsule production. University of Leicester.
Stevens, M., Hanfling, P., Jann, B., Jann, K., and Roberts, I.S., 1994, Regulation of Escherichia coli K5 capsular polysaccharide expression: evidence for involvement of RfaH in the expression of group II capsules. FEMS Microbiol. Letts. 124: 93–98.
Goosen, N., and van de Putte, P., 1995, The regulation of transcription initiation by integration host factor. Mol. Microbiol. 16: 1–7.
Bailey, M.J., Hughes, C., and Koronakis, V., 1997, RfaH and the ops element, components of a novel system controlling bacterial transcription elongation. Mol. Microbiol. 26: 845–851.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Roberts, I.S. (2002). Transcriptional Organisation and Regulation of E. coli Group 2 Capsule Expression. In: Emoődy, L., Pál, T., Hacker, J., Blum-Oehler, G. (eds) Genes and Proteins Underlying Microbial Urinary Tract Virulence. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 485. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-46840-9_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-46840-9_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-0-306-46455-3
Online ISBN: 978-0-306-46840-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive