Two-Component Signal Transduction in Bacillus subtilis : How One Organism Sees Its World

作者：Céline Fabret, Victoria A. Feher, James A. Hoch · 发表于：Journal of Bacteriology · 年份：1999 · DOI：10.1128/jb.181.7.1975-1983.1999 · 被引用次数：366 · 研究领域：Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology、Bacteriophages and microbial interactions、RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms

Variability and adaptability are crucial characteristics of organisms possessing the ability to survive and prosper in a wide variety of environmental conditions. The most adaptable bacteria contain a large reservoir of genetic information encoding biochemical pathways designed to cope with a variety of environmental situations. Organisms that have the genetic capability to respond to altered conditions do so when stimulated by specific signals. Recognition of specific signals and conversion of this information into specific transcriptional or behavioral responses is the essence of signal transduction. A mechanism commonly found in bacteria for signal transduction is the two-component system (23, 26). Its basis is the conversion of signal recognition to a chemical entity, i.e., a phosphoryl group, that modifies the functional activity of proteins. Signal recognition and transduction are the province of the sensor histidine kinase component of the system. This protein has separable sensor and histidine phosphotransferase domains that function to recognize (bind) the signal, causing the kinase to autophosphorylate a histidine residue of the phosphotransferase domain (Fig. (Fig.1).1). The phosphoryl group is subsequently transferred to the second component protein, the response regulator, where it resides as an acyl phosphate of an aspartic acid residue. The response regulator consists of the phosphorylatable aspartate domain and an output domain that is activated to carry ou...