The evolution of proline synthesis transcriptional regulation in gammaproteobacteria

• DOI: 10.3103/s0096392510040255
• Publication Date: 2010-12-28T01:50:38Z
• Authors: K. V. Lopatovskaya; K. Yu. Gorbunov; L. Yu. Rusin; A. V. Seliverstov; V. A. Lyubetsky
• Keywords: TetR; DNA binding site; Conserved sequence

We report a conserved motif in the upstream region of the proA and proB genes, which are widely found among γ-proteobacteria, particularly in the genera Pseudomonas, Marinobacter, and Shewanella. The conserved protein-DNA binding sites are 8 bp long. Some genes have double sites for cooperative factor binding. The phylogenetic profiles of binding sites and all protein factors were compared. We identify the tetR family protein, an ortholog of the NP_249058 protein from P. aeruginosa PAO1, as a transcription factor. Our algorithm was applied to construct the species tree with predicted regulation of the pro genes. The phylogeny of pro genes, transcription factor phylogeny, and a phylogeny of their binding sites were mapped onto the species tree with our algorithm. The obtained scenario displays important HGT and related events.