The gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa phoU and its relationship with the phosphate uptake and accumulation of poliphosph

• Grant number: 12/16816-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Beny Spira
• Grantee: Luiza da Cruz Caramelo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The PHO regulon is composed of several genes and operon who encode proteins involved in the uptake and assimilation of organic and inorganic phosphate sources under phosphate limitation. The pst operon is a member of the PHO regulon, it encodes a high-anity phosphate transport system and also participates in the repression of the PHO regulon when the phosphate concentration in the medium is in excess. The pst operon bears ve genes (pstS-pstC-pstA-pstB-phoU ). In E. coli, the last gene of the operon, phoU, does not play a role in Pi uptake but participates in PHO repression. PstS is a periplasmic phosphate-binding protein that delivers phosphate molecules to the transport channel formed by PstC and PstA in the cytoplasmic membrane. The PHO regulon ofP. aeruginosa is less well characterized than in E. coli. In this project, the role of protein PHO regulation, phosphate transport, and polyphosphate accumulation as well as then interactions between pstS and phoU in P. aeruginosa will be investigated.(AU)