Alteration in oxygen tension affects gene expression in all cell types. In bacterial systems, oxygen regulates a variety of genes involved in aerobic versus anaerobic energy metabolism. Metabolic processes such as carbon fixation, nitrogen fixation, respiration and photosynthesis are regulated in response to the presence or absence of oxygen. In yeast and algal cells, oxygen is known to affect transcription of oxidative defense genes as well as metabolic enzymes. In mammalian cells, a growing number of genes are known to be oxygen regulated such as vascular growth factors that are key regulators for the synthesis of new capillary sprouts from preexisting vessels. Besides physiological roles, these growth factors are involved in disease processes such as the stimulation of capillary formation during tumor growth. This proposal is centered on elucidating molecular details of how bacteria Rhodobacter capsulatus and Rhodobacter sphaeroides are able to sense changes in oxygen tension, and in response, alter gene expression. These related species are capable of growth in a variety of energy generating modes including aerobic respiration, anaerobic fermentation and photosynthesis. The expression of genes involved in each of these processes are affected by alterations in oxygen tension, as well as by variations in light intensity. Regulation of cell physiology by light is also known to occur in a number of organisms ranging from bacterial to mammals and is a second process that is studied by this proposal. Indeed, one of the key oxygen regulated transcription factors studied in this proposal is also regulated by light intensity. As a model system for studying both oxygen and light regulation of gene expression, we have focused on the process of tetrapyrrole biosynthesis. This pathway is highly regulated by oxygen and light intensity and is responsible for the production of such important metabolites as B12, heme and chlorophylls. ? ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award (R37)
Project #
5R37GM040941-19
Application #
7255614
Study Section
Prokaryotic Cell and Molecular Biology Study Section (PCMB)
Program Officer
Anderson, James J
Project Start
1989-12-01
Project End
2011-03-31
Budget Start
2007-04-01
Budget End
2008-03-31
Support Year
19
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$483,257
Indirect Cost
Name
Indiana University Bloomington
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
006046700
City
Bloomington
State
IN
Country
United States
Zip Code
47401
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Kumka, Joseph E; Schindel, Heidi; Fang, Mingxu et al. (2017) Transcriptomic analysis of aerobic respiratory and anaerobic photosynthetic states in Rhodobacter capsulatus and their modulation by global redox regulators RegA, FnrL and CrtJ. Microb Genom 3:e000125
Fang, Mingxu; Bauer, Carl E (2017) The Vitamin B12-Dependent Photoreceptor AerR Relieves Photosystem Gene Repression by Extending the Interaction of CrtJ with Photosystem Promoters. MBio 8:
Shimizu, Takayuki; Shen, Jiangchuan; Fang, Mingxu et al. (2017) Sulfide-responsive transcriptional repressor SqrR functions as a master regulator of sulfide-dependent photosynthesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114:2355-2360
Cheng, Zhuo; Yamamoto, Haruki; Bauer, Carl E (2016) Cobalamin's (Vitamin B12) Surprising Function as a Photoreceptor. Trends Biochem Sci 41:647-650
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Shimizu, Takayuki; Cheng, Zhuo; Matsuura, Katsumi et al. (2015) Evidence that Altered Cis Element Spacing Affects PpsR Mediated Redox Control of Photosynthesis Gene Expression in Rubrivivax gelatinosus. PLoS One 10:e0128446
Kumka, Joseph E; Bauer, Carl E (2015) Analysis of the FnrL regulon in Rhodobacter capsulatus reveals limited regulon overlap with orthologues from Rhodobacter sphaeroides and Escherichia coli. BMC Genomics 16:895
Vermeulen, Arjan J; Bauer, Carl E (2015) Members of the PpaA/AerR Antirepressor Family Bind Cobalamin. J Bacteriol 197:2694-703
Cheng, Zhuo; Li, Keran; Hammad, Loubna A et al. (2014) Vitamin B12 regulates photosystem gene expression via the CrtJ antirepressor AerR in Rhodobacter capsulatus. Mol Microbiol 91:649-64

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