Multiple factors regulate the expression of sufCDSUB in Streptococcus mutans

IntroductionThe sufCDSUB gene cluster, encoding the sole iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster assembly system in S. mutans, was recently shown to be up-regulated in response to oxidative stressors and Fe limitation.MethodsIn this study, luciferase reporter fusion assays, electrophoretic gel mobility shift assays (EMSA) and in vitro transcription assays (IVT) were used to dissect the cis- and trans-acting factors that regulate the expression of sufCDSUB.Results and discussionResults showed deletion of perR, for the only Fur-family transcriptional regulator in S. mutans, resulted in >5-fold increases in luciferase activity under the control of the sufCDSUB promoter (P1.6-fold (P84-fold (P11.6-fold (P