Unit of Transcriptional regulation in prokaryotes
Lab of Transcriptional regulation in prokaryotes
tel. +051-209 4207
fax +051-209 4286
Group Leader: Vincenzo Scarlato
E-mail : vincenzo.scarlato@unibo.it
Research in progress :
- The objective of our research is to contribute to the understanding of the regulation of transcription in prokaryotes. In particular, we investigate the molecular mechanisms by which protein-DNA interactions and protein-protein interactions activate/repress genes responsible for the acquisition of pathogenic traits also in response to sudden environmental changes such as heat shock and metal overload/deprivation.
- Iron is essential for many cellular processes; its homeostasis is regulated by uptake and metabolism. Studies on the regulation of iron homeostasis in bacteria have focused largely on Fur, an iron-responsive transcriptional regulator. We are studying the Fur regulon in Helicobacter pylori by using protein-DNA immunoprecipitations of in vivo-formed complexes, and by probing genomic macroarrays with immunoprecipitated DNA fragments. RNA extracted from wild type and mutant strains, grown at different iron concentrations, are used to probe macroarrays in order to identify Fur and iron-regulated genes. Newly identified genes will help to elucidate the promoter region(s) responsible for iron and Fur responsiveness. The same approach will serve to identify, in H. pylori, the heat shock regulon controlled by two transcription repressors, HspR and HrcA, and which has been suggested to play an important role during infection.
Funding :
- COFIN 1999-2001 (MIUR)
- Chiron 2000 "Ricerca commissionata"
- PRIN 2001-2003 (MIUR)
- PRIN 2002-2004 (MIUR)
- University Strategic grant: -2006-2008
Patents :
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Selected Publications :
- Roncarati D, Danielli A, Spohn G, Delany I, Scarlato V. 2007 Transcriptional regulation of stress response and motility functions in Helicobacter pylori is mediated by HspR and HrcA. J Bacteriol. 189:7234-43.
- Danielli A, Roncarati D, Delany I, Chiarini V, Rappuoli R, Scarlato V. 2006 In vivo dissection of the Helicobacter pylori Fur regulatory circuit by genome-wide location analysis. J Bacteriol. 188:4654-62.
- Delany I, Grifantini R, Bartolini E, Rappuoli R, Scarlato V. 2006 Effect of Neisseria meningitidis fur mutations on global control of gene transcription. J Bacteriol. 188:2483-92.
- Delany I, Ieva R, Soragni A, Hilleringmann M, Rappuoli R, Scarlato V. 2005 In vitro analysis of protein-operator interactions of the NikR and fur metal-responsive regulators of coregulated genes in Helicobacter pylori. J Bacteriol. 187:7703-15.
- Delany I, Rappuoli R, Scarlato V. 2004 Fur functions as an activator and as a repressor of putative virulence genes in Neisseria meningitidis. Mol Microbiol. 52: 1081-90
- Spohn G, Danielli A, Roncarati D, Delany I, Rappuoli R, Scarlato V. 2004 Dual control of Helicobacter pylori heat shock gene transcription by HspR and HrcA. J Bacteriol. 186: 2956-65
- Delany I, Spohn G, Rappuoli R, Scarlato V. 2003 An anti-repression Fur operator upstream of the promoter is required for iron-mediated transcriptional autoregulation in Helicobacter pylori. Mol Microbiol. 50:1329-38
- Delany I, Spohn G, Pacheco ABF, Ieva R, Alaimo C, Rappuoli R., Scarlato V. 2002 Autoregulation of Helicobacter pylori Fur revealed by functional analysis of the iron-binding site. Mol Microbiol. 46: 1107-22
- Spohn G, Delany I, Rappuoli R, Scarlato V. 2002 Characterization of the HspR-mediated stress response in Helicobacter pylori. J Bacteriol. 184: 2925-30
- Delany I, Spohn G, Rappuoli R, Scarlato V. 2001 The Fur repressor controls transcription of iron-activated and repressed genes in Helicobacter pylori. Mol Microbiol. 42: 1297-309
- Pizza M, Scarlato V, Masignani V, Giuliani MM, Aricò B, Comanducci M, Jennings GT, Baldi L, Bartolini E, Capecchi B, Galeotti CL, Luzzi E, et al. 2000 Use of whole genome sequencing to identify novel vaccine candidates against serogroup B meningococcus. Science 287: 1816-20
- Spohn G, Scarlato V. 1999 The autoregulatory HspR repressor protein governs chaperone gene transcription in Helicobacter pylori. Mol Microbiol. 34: 663-74
Postgraduate training :
- Ph.D. Program in Cellular, Molecular and Industrial Biology (Project n. 2: Functional Biology of Cellular and Molecular Systems)
Collaborations :
Regulation of gene transcription in bacterial pathogens : Chiron Vaccines - Siena - Italy
Regulation of gene transcription in Helicobacter pylori : Dr D. Beier, Universitat Wurzburg, Germany
Characterization of the nikel-responsive regulator NikR : Prof. S. Ciurli, University of Bologna
Links :
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Postgraduate training
http://www.dipartimentobiologia.it/doctoraltraining/scarlato.asp
Industrial Collaboration / Phd Programs
http://www.novartisvaccines.it/ricerca/
Research group :
Vincenzo Scarlato (Full professor)
Alberto Danielli (Research associate)
Davide Roncarati (Post-doc)
Francesca Agriesti (PhD student)
Matteo Metruccio (PhD student)
Simona Romagnoli (Post doc)
Laura Fantappié (PhD student)
