Iron-dependent regulation of gene expression in Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis

This study set out to analyse C. pseudotuberculosis within an environment relevant to that which would be encountered within its natural host. The impact of the availability of iron within the growth environment of numerous bacteria has been widely reported, and an equivalent investigation was conducted to determine whether the same was true of C. pseudotuberculosis. To this end, a novel chemically-defined medium was designed, which supported the growth of C. pseudotuberculosis, but in which the concentration of specific growth factors could be manipulated. Subsequently, iron was shown to be essential for C. pseudotuberculosis growth, and analysis of secreted protein profiles revealed differential expression between low- and high-iron growth conditions. Furthermore, growth experiments conducted in the defined medium revealed that C. pseudotuberculosis is capable of obtaining iron from the host iron-binding proteins, transferrin and lactoferrin. The results presented in this thesis confirm the importance of iron to C. pseudotuberculosis, and reveal the existence of an iron-dependent regulator which is involved in regulating the expression of multiple target genes.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

PhD

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Glasgow

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Walker, Caray A.

• QR Microbiology
• QH426 Genetics

Language dc:language

en