Regulation of cobalamin biosynthetic operons in Salmonella typhimurium

Abstract

Transcription of cobalamin (cob) biosynthetic genes in Salmonella typhimurium is repressed by cobalamin and by molecular oxygen. These genes seem to be subject to catabolite repression, and they are maximally expressed under conditions of anaerobic respiration of glycerol-fumarate. A 215-fold increase in the expression of cob genes occurs when S. typhimurium shifts from aerobic growth on glucose to anaerobic respiration of glycerol-fumarate under strictly anoxic growth conditions. Exogenous cyclic AMP substantially stimulates the transcription of cob-lac fusions during aerobic growth. However, cyclic AMP is not absolutely required for the expression of the pathway, nor does it mediate the aerobic control. Cobalamin biosynthesis is not seen under aerobic growth conditions, even when transcription is stimulated by the addition of cyclic AMP. Hence, additional control mechanisms triggered by the presence of molecular oxygen must operate independently from transcription effects on the cob operons.