Identification of the Transcription Regulatory Network for the Thermus thermophilus HB8 Ferric Uptake Regulator, TTHA1292

Organisms rely on a variety of mechanisms to regulate gene expression, the process of producing RNA from a DNA template. One such example is through a class of proteins known as transcription factors, who bind to the promoter regions of genes to either activate or repress expression. Many transcription factors and their functions are unknown despite their importance in cellular biology. This is apparent with our protein of interest, TTHA1292, from the organism Thermus thermophilus HB8. TTHA1292 is a part of the FUR (Ferric Uptake Regulator) family that are essential in the regulation of genes that control heavy metal levels within most prokaryotes. However, there are currently no biological studies detailing the functions of TTHA1292. Here, we find the preferred DNA binding sequence of TTHA1292 through Restriction Endonuclease Protection, Selection and Amplification (REPSA). Using bioinformatic software, we identify genes potentially regulated by TTHA1292, several of which are involved with zinc transport. Through DNA binding assays, we show that zinc promotes the DNA binding of TTHA1292. Together, this data supports the hypothesis that TTHA1292 is a critical regulator of zinc biology in Thermus thermophilus HB8