Characterization of the TyrR Regulon in the Rhizobacterium Enterobacter ludwigii UW5 Reveals Overlap with the CpxR Envelope Stress Response.

The TyrR transcription factor controls the expression of genes for the uptake and biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids in In the plant-associated and clinically significant proteobacterium UW5, the TyrR orthologue was previously shown to regulate genes that encode enzymes for synthesis of the plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid and for gluconeogenesis, indicating a broader function for the transcription factor. This study aimed to delineate the TyrR regulon of by comparing the transcriptomes of the wild type and a deletion strain. In , TyrR positively or negatively regulates the expression of over 150 genes. TyrR downregulated expression of envelope stress response regulators CpxR and CpxP through interaction with a DNA binding site in the intergenic region between divergently transcribed and Repression of was alleviated by tyrosine. Methyltransferase gene , which is possibly involved in antibiotic synthesis, was strongly activated in the presence of tyrosine and phenylalanine by TyrR binding to its promoter region. TyrR also regulated expression of genes for aromatic catabolism and anaerobic respiration. Our findings suggest that the TyrR regulon has diverged from that of to include genes for survival in the diverse environments that this bacterium inhabits and illustrate the expansion and plasticity of transcription factor regulons. Genome-wide RNA sequencing revealed a broader regulatory role for the TyrR transcription factor in the ecologically versatile bacterium beyond that of aromatic amino acid synthesis and transport that constitute the role of the TyrR regulon of In , a plant symbiont and human gut commensal, the TyrR regulon is expanded to include genes that are beneficial for plant interactions and response to stresses. Identification of the genes regulated by TyrR provides insight into the mechanisms by which the bacterium adapts to its environment.