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Subcellular localization and visualization of RecA and ImuAʹ in mycobacteria

Antibiotic-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) are threatening global efforts to eradicate tuberculosis (TB). One attractive approach for target-based drug design proposes to curb the evolution of Mtb during both immune and drug assault. The potential target: mycobacterial DNA meta...

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Main Author: Ramudzuli, Atondaho Angelah
Other Authors: Warner, Digby
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Division of Medical Microbiology 2022
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access_status_str Open Access
author Ramudzuli, Atondaho Angelah
author2 Warner, Digby
author_browse Ramudzuli, Atondaho Angelah
Warner, Digby
author_facet Warner, Digby
Ramudzuli, Atondaho Angelah
author_sort Ramudzuli, Atondaho Angelah
collection Thesis
description Antibiotic-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) are threatening global efforts to eradicate tuberculosis (TB). One attractive approach for target-based drug design proposes to curb the evolution of Mtb during both immune and drug assault. The potential target: mycobacterial DNA metabolism. For this, an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms of DNA repair and mutagenesis in mycobacteria is required. RecA and ImuAʹ are DNA damageinducible proteins implicated in DNA damage repair and tolerance in Mtb. RecA is a key regulatory protein of the SOS response and ImuAʹ is a component of the mycobacterial mutasome, effecting DNA damage tolerance and mutagenesis. In this study, a comprehensive panel of M. smegmatis (Msm) RecA and ImuAʹ reporter strains was generated to explore the dynamics of their expression and subcellular localization within live Msm cells. To this end, fluorescently tagged versions of ImuAʹ and RecA were constructed and shown to retain functional activity in UV-induced mutagenesis but not survival of mitomycin C (MMC) treatment. The discrepant complementation phenotypes observed in UV and MMC assays was unexpected and suggested disruption of a critical protein-protein interaction(s) owing to the presence of the fluorophore. Using fluorescence microscopy, RecA and ImuAʹ expression were monitored in Msm exposed to different types of genotoxic stresses conditions. When mScarletImuAʹ was introduced into wild-type (WT) and ∆imuAʹ backgrounds, diffuse bright red fluorescence was observed in cells treated with MMC and UV; in contrast, no fluorescence expression was observed in untreated cells, confirming the DNA damage-dependent induction of imuAʹ. Following the introduction of RecA-msfGFP into WT and ∆recA backgrounds, discrete green, fluorescent foci were observed in treated and untreated cells in both backgrounds, consistent with the role of RecA in DNA replication in the absence of external DNA damage, and elevated expression under genotoxic conditions. Taken together, these observations support the utility of the fluorescently tagged translational fusions as bioreporters to elucidate the function and regulation of ImuA' and RecA in mycobacteria.
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id oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/36139
institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:31:45.395Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2022
publishDateRange 2022
publishDateSort 2022
publisher Division of Medical Microbiology
publisherStr Division of Medical Microbiology
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/36139 Subcellular localization and visualization of RecA and ImuAʹ in mycobacteria Ramudzuli, Atondaho Angelah Warner, Digby Gessner, Sophia Mizrahi, Valerie Medicine Antibiotic-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) are threatening global efforts to eradicate tuberculosis (TB). One attractive approach for target-based drug design proposes to curb the evolution of Mtb during both immune and drug assault. The potential target: mycobacterial DNA metabolism. For this, an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms of DNA repair and mutagenesis in mycobacteria is required. RecA and ImuAʹ are DNA damageinducible proteins implicated in DNA damage repair and tolerance in Mtb. RecA is a key regulatory protein of the SOS response and ImuAʹ is a component of the mycobacterial mutasome, effecting DNA damage tolerance and mutagenesis. In this study, a comprehensive panel of M. smegmatis (Msm) RecA and ImuAʹ reporter strains was generated to explore the dynamics of their expression and subcellular localization within live Msm cells. To this end, fluorescently tagged versions of ImuAʹ and RecA were constructed and shown to retain functional activity in UV-induced mutagenesis but not survival of mitomycin C (MMC) treatment. The discrepant complementation phenotypes observed in UV and MMC assays was unexpected and suggested disruption of a critical protein-protein interaction(s) owing to the presence of the fluorophore. Using fluorescence microscopy, RecA and ImuAʹ expression were monitored in Msm exposed to different types of genotoxic stresses conditions. When mScarletImuAʹ was introduced into wild-type (WT) and ∆imuAʹ backgrounds, diffuse bright red fluorescence was observed in cells treated with MMC and UV; in contrast, no fluorescence expression was observed in untreated cells, confirming the DNA damage-dependent induction of imuAʹ. Following the introduction of RecA-msfGFP into WT and ∆recA backgrounds, discrete green, fluorescent foci were observed in treated and untreated cells in both backgrounds, consistent with the role of RecA in DNA replication in the absence of external DNA damage, and elevated expression under genotoxic conditions. Taken together, these observations support the utility of the fluorescently tagged translational fusions as bioreporters to elucidate the function and regulation of ImuA' and RecA in mycobacteria. 2022-03-16T06:51:15Z 2022-03-16T06:51:15Z 2021 2022-03-16T00:46:03Z Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36139 eng application/pdf Division of Medical Microbiology Faculty of Health Sciences
spellingShingle Medicine
Ramudzuli, Atondaho Angelah
Subcellular localization and visualization of RecA and ImuAʹ in mycobacteria
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Subcellular localization and visualization of RecA and ImuAʹ in mycobacteria
title_full Subcellular localization and visualization of RecA and ImuAʹ in mycobacteria
title_fullStr Subcellular localization and visualization of RecA and ImuAʹ in mycobacteria
title_full_unstemmed Subcellular localization and visualization of RecA and ImuAʹ in mycobacteria
title_short Subcellular localization and visualization of RecA and ImuAʹ in mycobacteria
title_sort subcellular localization and visualization of reca and imua in mycobacteria
topic Medicine
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36139
work_keys_str_mv AT ramudzuliatondahoangelah subcellularlocalizationandvisualizationofrecaandimuaʹinmycobacteria