RecAregulated

RecAregulated is a descriptive term used in the context of bacterial gene regulation to refer to genes whose expression is controlled by the activity of the RecA protein. RecA is a recombinase and a central mediator of the bacterial SOS response to DNA damage. When DNA damage results in extensive single-stranded DNA, RecA binds to ssDNA and forms nucleoprotein filaments. This activated RecA stimulates autoproteolysis of the LexA repressor, leading to de-repression of a large set of SOS genes involved in DNA repair, mutagenesis, and cell cycle control. In this framework, RecAregulated genes are typically part of the SOS regulon and show increased transcription following RecA activation.

In addition to the canonical LexA-mediated de-repression, RecA participates in direct regulatory interactions in some contexts, and certain promoters may respond to RecA activity through protein–DNA or protein–protein interactions, though LexA is the dominant regulator for most SOS targets. The RecA regulon includes genes encoding nucleotide excision repair, translesion polymerases, DNA helicases, and other DNA damage response factors, as well as genes involved in replication restart and cell division control. The precise set of RecAregulated genes can vary among bacterial species and strains.

The study of RecAregulated networks informs understanding of how bacteria cope with DNA damage, influence mutagenesis rates, and adapt to antibiotic stress. The term itself is a descriptive label rather than a formal gene name, used to denote transcriptional programs governed by RecA activity.