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Team:Imperial College London/M2/genes
From 2009.igem.org
Through the course of evolution, E.coli have equipped themselves with a multitude of defences to enable colonisation of the intestine. We are using two global transcription factors (RcsB & YgiV) to hijack this natural process in a way that maximises acid resitance. We have additionally upregulated a third enzyme (rfal) to enhance the encapsulation of single cells (over and above colony encapsulation). Finally, the two biosynthetic genes (OtsA & OtsB) code for enzymes responsible for the production of trehalose. Our manipulation of endogenous pathways reduces virulence while enchancing pill functionality.
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RcsB
Background:
RcsB is a transcription factor that forms part of the phosphorelay system. In response to membrane stress, RcsB is phosphorylated into its DNA binding form. In this state, it is able to both upregulate and downregulate a large number of genes.
RcsB upregulates the following genes:
ivy (Inhibitor of Vertebrate lysozyme)
- Discovered in 2001 as the first bacterial lysozyme inhibitor. This Type-C lysozyme inhibitor resides in the periplasm.1
MilC (Membrane-bound lysozyme inhibitor of Type C lysozyme)
- This is a lipoprotein that resides in the membrane. 1
References
- [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19136591 The Rcs two-component system regulates expression of lysozyme inhibitors and is induced by exposure to lysozyme]
YgiV
Background:
In nature, the colanic acid synthesis phase occurs prior to biofilm formation. The latter process of biofilm formation is associated with the upregulation of a number of virulence factors. The transcription factor YgiV blocks the progression into biofilm formation by maintaining colanic acid production. Thus YgiV serves to increase acid resistance and decrease virulence.
Rfal
Background:
In the majority of E.coli, the enzyme Rfal joins the O-antigen to the membrane-bound lipid core molecule. Since the K-12 strain has an insertion mutation in the gene coding for O-antigen, the enzyme Rfal is free to join colanic acid to the lipid core.
