Functional Analysis of EspM, an ESX-1-Associated Transcription Factor in Mycobacterium marinum
Kevin Sanchez, Rebecca J. Prest, Kathleen R. Nicholson, Konstantin V. Korotkov, Patricia A. Champion
Abstract
Pathogenic mycobacteria are bacteria that pose a large burden to human health globally. The ESX-1 secretion system is required for pathogenic mycobacteria to survive within and interact with the host. Proper function of the ESX-1 secretion system is achieved by tightly controlling the expression of secreted virulence factors, in part through transcriptional regulation. Here, we characterize the conserved transcription factor EspM, which regulates the expression of ESX-1 virulence factors. We define domains required for EspM to form multimers and bind DNA. These findings provide an initial characterization an ESX-1 transcription factor and provide insights into its mechanism of action.