Regulation of the ColV plasmid-determined iron (III)-aerobactin transport system in Escherichia coli

Abstract

Regulation by iron was studied in Escherichia coli strains whose iron supply was entirely dependent on the iron(III)-aerobactin system determined by the ColV plasmid. By the insertion of phage Mu (Ap lac) into the ColV plasmid, mutants were selected that could no longer grow in iron-limited media. The inserted Mu (Ap lac) strongly reduced the amount of aerobactin and he cloacin receptor protein formed by the cells. Their production was no longer subject to regulation by iron. The Mu (Ap lac) insertion apparently led to a polar effect on the expression of the presumably closely linked genes that control the synthesis of aerobactin and the cloacin receptor protein. The expression of the beta-galactosidase gene on the inserted phage genome came under the control of the iron state of the cells. Under iron-limited growth conditions, the amount of beta-galactosidase synthesized was, depending on the strain studied, 6 to 30 times higher than under iron-sufficient growth conditions. In fur mutants with an impaired iron regulation of ll iron supply systems studied so far, high amounts of beta-galactosidase were synthesized independent of the cells' iron supply. The results demonstrate an iron-controlled promoter on the ColV plasmid which is subject to regulation by the chromosomal fur gene.