{
  "id": 4881031,
  "title": "CpxR and HicB exert independent regulatory action on the gonococcal hicAB-encoded toxin-antitoxin system",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/cpxr-and-hicb-exert-independent-regulatory-action-on-the-gonococcal",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-01T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.28.747762v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The research findings highlight the independent regulatory actions of the CpxR and HicB proteins on the gonococcal hicAB-encoded toxin-antitoxin system. Previous studies have demonstrated that sub-lethal levels of gentamicin (Gen) can impact the expression of the HicA-HicB TA system in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Notably, the loss of this TA system was associated with reduced biofilm formation in a strain-specific manner. To further investigate the strain-specificity, the researchers found that the CpxR/CpxA two-component system (TCS) influenced the expression of the hicAB operon independently of HicB autoregulation. The new report reveals that CpxR selectively binds to the hicAB operon, enhancing expression, without interfering with HicB's binding to the promoter region. Additionally, single base pair differences in the intergenic region between hicA and hicB impact the regulation by CpxR. Consequently, the regulation of the HicAB TA in gonococcal strains is a complex, coordinated response that involves both autoregulation by HicB and the CpxRA TCS. This dual regulatory scheme maximizes the gonococcal strains' ability to respond to Gen and hostile environmental conditions.",
  "summary": "The continued emergence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) isolates resistant to front-line antibiotics has focused efforts on understanding how alternative therapies, such as the expanded use of gentamicin (Gen), might counteract this global public health problem. Focusing on Gen as a viable alternative antibiotic for the treatment of gonorrheal infections, we previously used RNA-seq to determine if…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}