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. 1997 Feb;63(2):567–573. doi: 10.1128/aem.63.2.567-573.1997

L-Arogenate Is a Chemoattractant Which Can Be Utilized as the Sole Source of Carbon and Nitrogen by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

R S Fischer, J Song, W Gu, R A Jensen
PMCID: PMC1389519  PMID: 16535513

Abstract

L-Arogenate is a commonplace amino acid in nature in consideration of its role as a ubiquitous precursor of L-phenylalanine and/or L-tyrosine. However, the questions of whether it serves as a chemoattractant molecule and whether it can serve as a substrate for catabolism have never been studied. We found that Pseudomonas aeruginosa recognizes L-arogenate as a chemoattractant molecule which can be utilized as a source of both carbon and nitrogen. Mutants lacking expression of either cyclohexadienyl dehydratase or phenylalanine hydroxylase exhibited highly reduced growth rates when utilizing L-arogenate as a nitrogen source. Utilization of L-arogenate as a source of either carbon or nitrogen was dependent upon (sigma)(sup54), as revealed by the use of an rpoN null mutant. The evidence suggests that catabolism of L-arogenate proceeds via alternative pathways which converge at 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate. In one pathway, prephenate formed in the periplasm by deamination of L-arogenate is converted to 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate by cyclohexadienyl dehydrogenase. The second route depends upon the sequential action of periplasmic cyclohexadienyl dehydratase, phenylalanine hydroxylase, and aromatic aminotransferase.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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