Mao Meiqin, He Li, Yan Qingpi
Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2025 Jan 31;15:1509037. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1509037. eCollection 2025.
The PhoP response regulator and the cognate sensor kinase PhoQ form one of the two-component signal transduction systems that is highly conserved in bacteria. The PhoP/PhoQ system is a crucial mediator of signal transduction. It regulates the expression of bacterial environmental tolerance genes, virulence factors, adhesion, and invasion-related genes by sensing various environmental signals in the host, including Mg, low pH, antimicrobial peptides, and osmotic pressure. In this review, we describe the PhoP/PhoQ system-induced signal composition and its feedback mechanism, and the abundance of PhoP phosphorylation in the activated state directly or indirectly controls the transcription and expression of related genes, regulating bacterial stability. Then, we discuss the relationship between the PhoP/PhoQ system and other components of the TCS system. Under the same induction conditions, their interaction relationship determines whether bacteria can quickly restore their homeostasis and exert virulence effects. Finally, we investigate the coordinated role of the PhoP/PhoQ system in acquiring pathogenic virulence.
PhoP反应调节蛋白和同源传感器激酶PhoQ构成了细菌中高度保守的双组分信号转导系统之一。PhoP/PhoQ系统是信号转导的关键介质。它通过感知宿主体内的各种环境信号，包括镁、低pH值、抗菌肽和渗透压，来调节细菌环境耐受基因、毒力因子、粘附和侵袭相关基因的表达。在本综述中，我们描述了PhoP/PhoQ系统诱导的信号组成及其反馈机制，并且激活状态下PhoP磷酸化的丰度直接或间接控制相关基因的转录和表达，调节细菌的稳定性。然后，我们讨论了PhoP/PhoQ系统与TCS系统其他组分之间的关系。在相同的诱导条件下，它们的相互作用关系决定了细菌是否能够迅速恢复其体内平衡并发挥毒力作用。最后，我们研究了PhoP/PhoQ系统在获得致病毒力方面的协同作用。
