Transcriptional response of Escherichia coli to external copper

Transcriptional response of Escherichia coli upon exposure to external copper was studied using DNA microarray and in vivo and in vitro transcription assays. Transcription of three hitherto‐identified copper‐responsive genes, copA (copper efflux transporter), cueO (multicopper oxidase) and cusC (tripartite copper pump component) became maximum at 5 min after addition of copper sulphate, and thereafter decreased to the preshift levels within 30 min. Microarray analysis at 5 min after addition of copper indicated that a total of at least 29 genes including these three known genes were markedly and specifically affected (28 upregulated and one downregulated). Transcription of the divergent operons, cusCFB and cusRS, was found to be activated by CusR, which bound to a CusR box between the cusC and cusR promoters. Except for this site, the CusR box was not identified in the entire E. coli genome. On the other hand, transcription of copA and cueO was found to be activated by another copper‐responsive factor CueR, which bound to a conserved inverted repeat sequence, CueR box. A total of 197 CueR boxes were identified on the E. coli genome, including the CueR box associated with the moa operon for molybdenum cofactor synthesis. At least 10 copper‐induced genes were found to be under the control of CpxAR two‐component system, indicating that copper is one of the signals for activation of the CpxAR system. In addition, transcription of yedWV, a putative two‐component system, was activated by copper in CusR‐dependent manner. Taken together we conclude that the copper‐responsive genes are organized into a hierarchy of the regulation network, forming at least four regulons, i.e. CueR, CusR, CpxR and YedW regulons. These copper‐responsive regulons appear to sense and respond to different concentrations of external copper.