Transcription regulation in haloalkaliphilic bacterium Spirochaeta africana

These bacteria are distinguished by their long, thin helical shape and a unique flagellum located between the inner and outer membranes. While some spirochetes are pathogenic, causing diseases such as syphilis (Treponema), Lyme disease (Borrelia), and leptospirosis (Leptospira), this study focuses on the non-pathogenic, free-living Spirochaeta africana as a model organism.

This approach allows for the investigation of fundamental aspects of gene regulation in spirochetes, free from the genomic reduction often observed in pathogenic spirochetes due to their parasitic lifestyle. We utilized RNA-Seq to assess the in vivo activities of spirochetal promoters and the relative abundance of transcripts encoding components of the spirochetal transcription system. These findings supplement detailed in vitro analyses of spirochetal RNA polymerase and transcription regulators by biochemical and structural methods.