ChiS is a noncanonical DNA-binding hybrid sensor kinase that directly regulates the chitin utilization program in <i>Vibrio cholerae</i>
Catherine A. Klancher, Shouji Yamamoto, Triana N. Dalia, Ankur B. Dalia
Abstract
Significance From bacteria to humans, the ability to properly respond to environmental cues is critical for survival. The cholera pathogen Vibrio cholerae uses one protein, ChiS, to sense chitin in its environmental reservoir to regulate the expression of genes that are critical for the survival and evolution of this pathogen in this niche. Here, we study how the chitin sensor ChiS works, and discover that it regulates gene expression in an unexpected and unorthodox manner. Thus, this study uncovers how the major regulator ChiS works in this important human pathogen and highlights the versatile mechanisms that living systems use to respond to their environment.
Topics & Concepts
Vibrio choleraeChitinPathogenBiologyGeneRegulatorNicheOrganismMicrobiologyVibrioBacteriaComputational biologyCell biologyGeneticsEcologyBiochemistryChitosanVibrio bacteria research studiesAquaculture disease management and microbiotaCRISPR and Genetic Engineering