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Recent functional insights into the role of (p)ppGpp in bacterial physiology

2015; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 13; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/nrmicro3448

1740-1534

Vasili Hauryliuk, Gemma C. Atkinson, Katsuhiko Murakami, Tanel Tenson, Kenn Gerdes,

Biochemical and Molecular Research

In this Review, Gerdes and colleagues discuss the multifaceted alarmones guanosine tetraphosphate and guanosine pentaphosphate (collectively referred to as (p)ppGpp) and their functions in the regulation of bacterial physiology, including their synthesis and degradation, as well as their role in transcriptional regulation, in GTP biosynthesis and in the formation of bacterial persisters. The alarmones guanosine tetraphosphate and guanosine pentaphosphate (collectively referred to as (p)ppGpp) are involved in regulating growth and several different stress responses in bacteria. In recent years, substantial progress has been made in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of (p)ppGpp metabolism and (p)ppGpp-mediated regulation. In this Review, we summarize these recent insights, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms governing the activity of the RelA/SpoT homologue (RSH) proteins, which are key players that regulate the cellular levels of (p)ppGpp. We also discuss the structural basis of transcriptional regulation by (p)ppGpp and the role of (p)ppGpp in GTP metabolism and in the emergence of bacterial persisters.