Liebal2012 - B.subtilis transcription inhibition model

Model Identifier
BIOMD0000000461
Short description
Liebal2012 - B.subtilis transcription inhibition model

An important transcription factor of B.subsilis is sigma B . Liebal et al. (2012) have performed experiments in B.subtilis wild type and mutant straits to test and validate a mathematical model of the dynamics of sigma B activity. The following three models are constructed and their ability to fit the experimental data were tested. 1) Transcription inhibition model (MODEL1212180000), 2) sigma B proteolysis model (MODEL1302080000) and 3) Post-transcriptional instability model (MODEL1302080001). This model corresponds to the Transcription inhibition model (MODEL1212180000).

This model is described in the article:

Liebal UW, Sappa PK, Millat T, Steil L, Homuth G, Völker U, Wolkenhauer O.
2012 Jun;8(6):1806-14.

Abstract:

In Bacillus subtilis the σ(B) mediated general stress response provides protection against various environmental and energy related stress conditions. To better understand the general stress response, we need to explore the mechanism by which the components interact. Here, we performed experiments in B. subtilis wild type and mutant strains to test and validate a mathematical model of the dynamics of σ(B) activity. In the mutant strain BSA115, σ(B) transcription is inducible by the addition of IPTG and negative control of σ(B) activity by the anti-sigma factor RsbW is absent. In contrast to our expectations of a continuous β-galactosidase activity from a ctc::lacZ fusion, we observed a transient activity in the mutant. To explain this experimental finding, we constructed mathematical models reflecting different hypotheses regarding the regulation of σ(B) and β-galactosidase dynamics. Only the model assuming instability of either ctc::lacZ mRNA or β-galactosidase protein is able to reproduce the experiments in silico. Subsequent Northern blot experiments revealed stable high-level ctc::lacZ mRNA concentrations after the induction of the σ(B) response. Therefore, we conclude that protein instability following σ(B) activation is the most likely explanation for the experimental observations. Our results thus support the idea that B. subtilis increases the cytoplasmic proteolytic degradation to adapt the proteome in face of environmental challenges following activation of the general stress response. The findings also have practical implications for the analysis of stress response dynamics using lacZ reporter gene fusions, a frequently used strategy for the σ(B) response.

Figure 3a of the reference article has been reproduced. beta-galactosidase (lacz in model) activity at different concentrations of IPTG (100M, 200M and 1000M) has been reproduced. SED-ML (Simulation Experiment Description Markup Language) file is available for this model (see curation tab).

To the extent possible under law, all copyright and related or neighbouring rights to this encoded model have been dedicated to the public domain worldwide. Please refer to CC0 Public Domain Dedication for more information.

Format
SBML (L2V4)
Related Publication
  • Proteolysis of beta-galactosidase following SigmaB activation in Bacillus subtilis. Click here to expand
  • Ulf W Liebal, Praveen K Sappa, Thomas Millat, Leif Steil, Georg Homuth, Uwe Völker, Olaf Wolkenhauer
  • Molecular bioSystems , 6/ 2012 , Volume 8 , Issue 6 , pages: 1806-1814 , PubMed ID: 22511268
  • Department of Systems Biology & Bioinformatics, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany. ulf.liebal@uni-rostock.de
  • In Bacillus subtilis the σ(B) mediated general stress response provides protection against various environmental and energy related stress conditions. To better understand the general stress response, we need to explore the mechanism by which the components interact. Here, we performed experiments in B. subtilis wild type and mutant strains to test and validate a mathematical model of the dynamics of σ(B) activity. In the mutant strain BSA115, σ(B) transcription is inducible by the addition of IPTG and negative control of σ(B) activity by the anti-sigma factor RsbW is absent. In contrast to our expectations of a continuous β-galactosidase activity from a ctc::lacZ fusion, we observed a transient activity in the mutant. To explain this experimental finding, we constructed mathematical models reflecting different hypotheses regarding the regulation of σ(B) and β-galactosidase dynamics. Only the model assuming instability of either ctc::lacZ mRNA or β-galactosidase protein is able to reproduce the experiments in silico. Subsequent Northern blot experiments revealed stable high-level ctc::lacZ mRNA concentrations after the induction of the σ(B) response. Therefore, we conclude that protein instability following σ(B) activation is the most likely explanation for the experimental observations. Our results thus support the idea that B. subtilis increases the cytoplasmic proteolytic degradation to adapt the proteome in face of environmental challenges following activation of the general stress response. The findings also have practical implications for the analysis of stress response dynamics using lacZ reporter gene fusions, a frequently used strategy for the σ(B) response.
Contributors
Submitter of the first revision: Ulf Liebal
Submitter of this revision: Lucian Smith
Curator: Lucian Smith

Metadata information

is (3 statements)
BioModels Database BIOMD0000000461
Gene Ontology regulation of proteolysis
BioModels Database MODEL1212180000

isDescribedBy (1 statement)
PubMed 22511268

hasTaxon (1 statement)
hasProperty (1 statement)
Mathematical Modelling Ontology Ordinary differential equation model


Curation status
Curated


Connected external resources