The regulatory role of ferric uptake regulator (Fur) during anaerobic respiration of Shewanella piezotolerans WP3

PLoS One. 2013 Oct 4;8(10):e75588. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075588. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Ferric uptake regulator (Fur) is a global regulator that controls bacterial iron homeostasis. In this study, a fur deletion mutant of the deep-sea bacterium Shewanella piezotolerans WP3 was constructed. Physiological studies revealed that the growth rate of this mutant under aerobic conditions was only slightly lower than that of wild type (WT), but severe growth defects were observed under anaerobic conditions when different electron acceptors (EAs) were provided. Comparative transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that Fur is involved not only in classical iron homeostasis but also in anaerobic respiration. Fur exerted pleiotropic effects on the regulation of anaerobic respiration by controlling anaerobic electron transport, the heme biosynthesis system, and the cytochrome c maturation system. Biochemical assays demonstrated that levels of c-type cytochromes were lower in the fur mutant, consistent with the transcriptional profiling. Transcriptomic analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed a primary regulation network for Fur in WP3. These results suggest that Fur may act as a sensor for anoxic conditions to trigger and influence the anaerobic respiratory system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aerobiosis
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Shewanella / genetics
  • Shewanella / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • ferric uptake regulating proteins, bacterial

Grants and funding

This work was supported by National Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31290232, 41076078), National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No.2011CB808800), China Ocean Mineral Resources R & D Association (Grant No.DY125-15-T-04), “ShuGuang” Project supported by Shanghai Municipal Education Commission and Shanghai Education Development Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.