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REVIEW article

Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol.
Sec. Molecular Bacterial Pathogenesis
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1509037
This article is part of the Research Topic Mechanisms of microbial persistence and strategies to counter them. View all articles

An updated overview on the bacterial PhoP/PhoQ two-component signal transduction system

Provisionally accepted
Meiqin Mao Meiqin Mao Li He Li He Qingpi Yan Qingpi Yan *
  • Jimei University, Xiamen, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The PhoP response regulator and the cognate sensor kinase PhoQ form one of the two-component signal transduction systems that is highly conserved in bacteria.The PhoP/PhoQ system is a crucial mediator of signal transduction. It regulates the expression of bacterial environmental tolerance genes, virulence factors, adhesion, and invasion-related genes by sensing various environmental signals in the host, including Mg 2+ , low pH, antimicrobial peptides, and osmotic pressure. In this review, we describe the PhoP/PhoQ system-induced signal composition and its feedback mechanism, and the abundance of PhoP phosphorylation in the activated state directly or indirectly controls the transcription and expression of related genes, regulating bacterial stability. Then, we discuss the relationship between the PhoP/PhoQ system and other components of the TCS system. Under the same induction conditions, their interaction relationship determines whether bacteria can quickly restore their homeostasis and exert virulence effects. Finally, we investigate the coordinated role of the PhoP/PhoQ system in acquiring pathogenic virulence.

    Keywords: bacterial, TCS, PhoP/PhoQ, Phosphorylation, Virulence

    Received: 10 Oct 2024; Accepted: 08 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Mao, He and Yan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Qingpi Yan, Jimei University, Xiamen, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.