Induction of the alkylation-inducible aidB gene of Escherichia coli by anaerobiosis

Abstract

Induction of the adaptive response to alkylation damage results in the expression of four genes arranged in three transcriptional units: the ada-alkB operon and the alkA and aidB genes. Adaptive-response induction requires the ada gene product and occurs when cells are treated with methylating agents. In previous studies we noted that aidB, but not alkA or ada-alkB, was induced in the absence of alkylation damage as cells were grown to stationary phase. In this note we present evidence that aidB is induced by anaerobiosis. Thus, aidB is subject to dual regulation by ada-dependent alkylation induction and ada-independent anaerobic induction.