EpsK

• Description: extracellular polysaccharide synthesis
  
  

Gene name	epsK
Synonyms	yvfA, yvfB
Essential	no
Product	unknown
Function	biofilm formation
Regulation of this protein in SubtiPathways: Biofilm
MW, pI
Gene length, protein length	1515 bp, 505 aa
Immediate neighbours	epsL, epsJ
Get the DNA and protein sequences (Barbe et al., 2009)
Genetic context This image was kindly provided by SubtiList

Categories containing this gene/protein

biofilm formation, membrane proteins

This gene is a member of the following regulons

AbrB regulon, EAR riboswitch, SinR regulon

The gene

Basic information

• Locus tag: BSU34265

Phenotypes of a mutant

• • smooth colonies on MsGG medium, no biofilm formation PubMed

Database entries

• DBTBS entry: [1]

• SubtiList entry: [2]

Additional information

The gene was re-assembled due to sequencing error in original sequence (it encompasses the genes annotated as yvfA and yvfB in SubtiList) PubMed

The protein

Basic information/ Evolution

• Catalyzed reaction/ biological activity:

• Protein family:

• Paralogous protein(s):

Extended information on the protein

• Kinetic information:

• Domains:

• Modification:

• Cofactor(s):

• Effectors of protein activity:

• Interactions:

• Localization: cell membrane (according to Swiss-Prot)

Database entries

• Structure:

• UniProt: P71060

• KEGG entry: [3]

• E.C. number:

Expression and regulation

• Operon: epsA-epsB-epsC-epsD-epsE-epsF-epsG-epsH-epsI-epsJ-epsK-epsL-epsM-epsN-epsO PubMed

• Sigma factor: SigA PubMed

• Regulation:
  • repressed by SinR PubMed

• Regulatory mechanism:
  • SinR: transcription repression PubMed
  • AbrB: transcription repression PubMed

• Additional information:
  • induction by sequestration of SinR by SinI or SlrA PubMed
  • the epsA-epsB-epsC-epsD-epsE-epsF-epsG-epsH-epsI-epsJ-epsK-epsL-epsM-epsN-epsO operon is not expressed in a ymdB mutant PubMed
  • the amount of the mRNA is substantially decreased upon depletion of RNase Y (this is likely due to the increased stability of the sinR mRNA) PubMed
  • the EAR riboswitch (eps-associated RNA switch) located between epsB and epsC mediates processive antitermination and allows expression of the long eps operon PubMed

Biological materials

• Mutant:

• Expression vector:

• lacZ fusion:

• GFP fusion:

• two-hybrid system:

• Antibody:

Labs working on this gene/protein

Richard Losick, Harvard Univ., Cambridge, USA homepage

References

Original publications

The EAR RNA switch

Irnov Irnov, Wade C Winkler
A regulatory RNA required for antitermination of biofilm and capsular polysaccharide operons in Bacillales.
Mol Microbiol: 2010, 76(3);559-75
[PubMed:20374491] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Zasha Weinberg, Joy X Wang, Jarrod Bogue, Jingying Yang, Keith Corbino, Ryan H Moy, Ronald R Breaker
Comparative genomics reveals 104 candidate structured RNAs from bacteria, archaea, and their metagenomes.
Genome Biol: 2010, 11(3);R31
[PubMed:20230605] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Other original publications

Additional publications: PubMed

Eric R Pozsgai, Kris M Blair, Daniel B Kearns
Modified mariner transposons for random inducible-expression insertions and transcriptional reporter fusion insertions in Bacillus subtilis.
Appl Environ Microbiol: 2012, 78(3);778-85
[PubMed:22113911] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Lehnik-Habrink M, Schaffer M, Mäder U, Diethmaier C, Herzberg C, Stülke J  
RNA processing in Bacillus subtilis: identification of targets of the essential RNase Y. 
Mol Microbiol. 2011 81(6): 1459-1473. 
PubMed:21815947

Diethmaier C, Pietack N, Gunka K, Wrede C, Lehnik-Habrink M, Herzberg C, Hübner S, Stülke J  
A Novel Factor Controlling Bistability in Bacillus subtilis: The YmdB Protein Affects
Flagellin Expression and Biofilm Formation. 
J Bacteriol.: 2011, 193(21):5997-6007. 
PubMed:21856853

K Nagorska, A Ostrowski, K Hinc, I B Holland, M Obuchowski
Importance of eps genes from Bacillus subtilis in biofilm formation and swarming.
J Appl Genet: 2010, 51(3);369-81
[PubMed:20720312] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Kazuo Kobayashi
SlrR/SlrA controls the initiation of biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis.
Mol Microbiol: 2008, 69(6);1399-410
[PubMed:18647168] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Yunrong Chai, Frances Chu, Roberto Kolter, Richard Losick
Bistability and biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis.
Mol Microbiol: 2008, 67(2);254-63
[PubMed:18047568] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Frances Chu, Daniel B Kearns, Steven S Branda, Roberto Kolter, Richard Losick
Targets of the master regulator of biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis.
Mol Microbiol: 2006, 59(4);1216-28
[PubMed:16430695] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Daniel B Kearns, Frances Chu, Steven S Branda, Roberto Kolter, Richard Losick
A master regulator for biofilm formation by Bacillus subtilis.
Mol Microbiol: 2005, 55(3);739-49
[PubMed:15661000] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)