Regulating rsmA Expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

<p><em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em>, a Gram-negative bacillus, commonly infects immunocompromised individuals and uses a variety of virulence factors to persist in these hosts. The posttranscriptional regulator, RsmA, plays a role in the expression of many virulence factors in <em>P. aeruginosa</em>. RsmA up regulates virulence factors used in colonizing hosts. However, regulation of<em> rsmA</em> is not well elucidated. Transposon mutagenesis was performed on P. aeruginosa containing a transcriptional <em>rsmA-lacZ</em> fusion to answer this question. Mutants were screened via β-galactosidase assay and transposon insertions identified via arbitrary PCR. A probable MFS transporter, we named <em>mtpX</em>, was one significant transposon mutant identified. A <em>ΔmtpX</em> mutant containing the<em> rsmA-lacZ</em> transcriptional fusion was constructed to confirm our results. Further analysis of <em>rsmA</em>, looking at RNA and protein levels, revealed varying results in nonmucoid versus mucoid backgrounds. Phenotypic assays were performed to characterize this unknown transporter and develop a putative mechanism as to how MtpX affects <em>rsmA</em> expression.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

MS (Master of Science)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - unrestricted

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Stacey, Sean D

• Pseudomonas aeruginosa
• RsmA
• mucoid
• Bacteria
• Bacterial Infections and Mycoses
• Biology
• Medical Microbiology
• Other Medicine and Health Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright by the authors.

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1232

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-2388