Abstract

Our understanding of how pathogens shape their gene expression profiles in response to environmental changes is ever growing. Advances in Bioinformatics have made it possible to model complex systems and integrate data from variable sources into one large regulatory network. In these analyses, regulatory networks are typically broken down into regulatory motifs such as feed-forward loops (FFL) or auto-regulatory feedbacks, which serves to simplify the structure, while the functional implications of different regulatory motifs allow to make informed assumptions about the function of a specific regulatory pathway. Here we review the basic concepts of network features and use this language to break down the regulatory networks that govern the interactions between the main regulators of stress response, virulence, and transmission in Listeria monocytogenes. We point out the advantage that taking a “systems approach” could have for our understanding of gene functions, the detection of distant regulatory inputs, interspecies comparisons, and co-expression.

Highlights

  • We review the basic concepts of network features and use this language to break down the regulatory networks that govern the interactions between the main regulators of stress response, virulence, and transmission in Listeria monocytogenes

  • Genetic studies used to be the main approach of studying regulatory mechanisms

  • In order to overcome these changing conditions, L. monocytogenes expresses an arsenal of effector proteins encoded by genes that are tightly regulated by alternative σ factors, transcriptional activators, transcriptional repressors and at the translational and post-translational levels

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Summary

Introduction

Genetic studies used to be the main approach of studying regulatory mechanisms. These studies usually analyze small, closed regulatory systems, involving no more than four or five regulators and often only analyze a single regulatory mechanism involving a regulator and its regulatee. In order to overcome these changing conditions, L. monocytogenes expresses an arsenal of effector proteins encoded by genes that are tightly regulated by alternative σ (sigma) factors, transcriptional activators, transcriptional repressors and at the translational and post-translational levels.

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Conclusion

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