Epigenetic memory of p-pili expression controlled by pap operon in Uropathogen Escherichia coli
The expression of pyelonephritis-associated pili (p-pili) in Uropathogen Escherichia coli (UPEC), which is controlled by pap operon, is a typical model system of phase variation. In spite of its stochastic switching, the operons state ON or OFF shows a strong epigenetic memory, by which the daughter cell can reproduce the states of their mother with a very high probability. Once the operon is turned off, its OFF to ON transition rate could be as low as 10-4 per cell/generation;The ON to OFF transition rate is also very low, which is 102 per cell/generation (Hernday, 2002). The differences in regulatory protein binding affinity can but partially explain this epigenetic memory. According to the existing data, the binding affinities provide only a basis for the establishment of this strong memory, and some other effects are still needed for a fully establishment of the memory.
Hong Kang Yang Li Huaiqiu Zhu
Department of Biomedical Engineering,College of Engineering, and Center for Theoretical Biology Peki Department of Biomedical Engineering,College of Engineering, and Center for Theoretical Biology Peki Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, and Center for Theoretical Biology Pek
国际会议
杭州
英文
85-87
2010-10-01（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）