Disease relevance of lon

• We have previously found that plasmids carrying the Escherichia coli alp gene (now to be called alpA) suppress two phenotypes of a delta lon protease mutant, overproduction of capsular polysaccharide and sensitivity to UV light [1].

High impact information on lon

• Five different lon mutations, not related to the Mar phenotype, were also found in 12 of the 13 mutants [2].
• Role for tandem duplication and lon protease in AcrAB-TolC- dependent multiple antibiotic resistance (Mar) in an Escherichia coli mutant without mutations in marRAB or acrRAB [3].
• We have used Tn10 and lambda placMu mutagenesis to identify a chromosomal locus, slpA, that is required for alpA+ suppression of delta lon [1].
• Moreover, 2-D gel analysis revealed that the expression level of some scavenger proteins marks the lon mutant as being in a situation similar to oxidative stress [4].

Biological context of lon

• Suppression of these lon phenotypes is most likely explained by the increased degradation of the Lon substrates responsible for these phenotypes [1].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of lon

• Our RT-PCR analysis revealed an elevation of expression of the oxyS gene in the lon mutant [4].
• The results of Western blotting detected a decrease in the protein expression levels of BtuB and OmpF involved in colicin translocation in the lon mutant [4].

References