Skip to main content
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1993 Apr;175(7):2097–2101. doi: 10.1128/jb.175.7.2097-2101.1993

The carboxy-terminal portion of the CheA kinase mediates regulation of autophosphorylation by transducer and CheW.

R B Bourret 1, J Davagnino 1, M I Simon 1
PMCID: PMC204313  PMID: 8384620

Abstract

The CheA kinase is a central protein in the signal transduction network that controls chemotaxis in Escherichia coli. CheA receives information from a transmembrane receptor (e.g., Tar) and CheW proteins and relays it to the CheB and CheY proteins. The biochemical activities of CheA proteins truncated at various distances from the carboxy terminus were examined. The carboxy-terminal portion of CheA regulates autophosphorylation in response to environmental signals transmitted through Tar and CheW. The central portion of CheA is required for autophosphorylation and is also presumably involved in dimer formation. The amino-terminal portion of CheA was previously shown to contain the site of autophosphorylation and to be able to transfer the phosphoryl group to CheB and CheY. These studies further delineate three functional domains of the CheA protein.

Full text

PDF
2098

Images in this article

Selected References

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

  1. Borkovich K. A., Kaplan N., Hess J. F., Simon M. I. Transmembrane signal transduction in bacterial chemotaxis involves ligand-dependent activation of phosphate group transfer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1989 Feb;86(4):1208–1212. doi: 10.1073/pnas.86.4.1208. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Borkovich K. A., Simon M. I. Coupling of receptor function to phosphate-transfer reactions in bacterial chemotaxis. Methods Enzymol. 1991;200:205–214. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(91)00140-r. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Borkovich K. A., Simon M. I. The dynamics of protein phosphorylation in bacterial chemotaxis. Cell. 1990 Dec 21;63(6):1339–1348. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(90)90429-i. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bourret R. B., Borkovich K. A., Simon M. I. Signal transduction pathways involving protein phosphorylation in prokaryotes. Annu Rev Biochem. 1991;60:401–441. doi: 10.1146/annurev.bi.60.070191.002153. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Bourret R. B., Hess J. F., Simon M. I. Conserved aspartate residues and phosphorylation in signal transduction by the chemotaxis protein CheY. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Jan;87(1):41–45. doi: 10.1073/pnas.87.1.41. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Chang A. C., Cohen S. N. Construction and characterization of amplifiable multicopy DNA cloning vehicles derived from the P15A cryptic miniplasmid. J Bacteriol. 1978 Jun;134(3):1141–1156. doi: 10.1128/jb.134.3.1141-1156.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Conley M. P., Wolfe A. J., Blair D. F., Berg H. C. Both CheA and CheW are required for reconstitution of chemotactic signaling in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1989 Sep;171(9):5190–5193. doi: 10.1128/jb.171.9.5190-5193.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Fuhrer D. K., Ordal G. W. Bacillus subtilis CheN, a homolog of CheA, the central regulator of chemotaxis in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1991 Dec;173(23):7443–7448. doi: 10.1128/jb.173.23.7443-7448.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gegner J. A., Dahlquist F. W. Signal transduction in bacteria: CheW forms a reversible complex with the protein kinase CheA. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 Feb 1;88(3):750–754. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.3.750. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Gegner J. A., Graham D. R., Roth A. F., Dahlquist F. W. Assembly of an MCP receptor, CheW, and kinase CheA complex in the bacterial chemotaxis signal transduction pathway. Cell. 1992 Sep 18;70(6):975–982. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(92)90247-a. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hess J. F., Bourret R. B., Simon M. I. Histidine phosphorylation and phosphoryl group transfer in bacterial chemotaxis. Nature. 1988 Nov 10;336(6195):139–143. doi: 10.1038/336139a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hess J. F., Bourret R. B., Simon M. I. Phosphorylation assays for proteins of the two-component regulatory system controlling chemotaxis in Escherichia coli. Methods Enzymol. 1991;200:188–204. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(91)00139-n. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Hess J. F., Oosawa K., Kaplan N., Simon M. I. Phosphorylation of three proteins in the signaling pathway of bacterial chemotaxis. Cell. 1988 Apr 8;53(1):79–87. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(88)90489-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Hess J. F., Oosawa K., Matsumura P., Simon M. I. Protein phosphorylation is involved in bacterial chemotaxis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 Nov;84(21):7609–7613. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.21.7609. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Igo M. M., Ninfa A. J., Stock J. B., Silhavy T. J. Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of a bacterial transcriptional activator by a transmembrane receptor. Genes Dev. 1989 Nov;3(11):1725–1734. doi: 10.1101/gad.3.11.1725. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Kofoid E. C., Parkinson J. S. Tandem translation starts in the cheA locus of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1991 Mar;173(6):2116–2119. doi: 10.1128/jb.173.6.2116-2119.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Kofoid E. C., Parkinson J. S. Transmitter and receiver modules in bacterial signaling proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Jul;85(14):4981–4985. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.14.4981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Kunkel T. A., Roberts J. D., Zakour R. A. Rapid and efficient site-specific mutagenesis without phenotypic selection. Methods Enzymol. 1987;154:367–382. doi: 10.1016/0076-6879(87)54085-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Kuo S. C., Koshland D. E., Jr Multiple kinetic states for the flagellar motor switch. J Bacteriol. 1989 Nov;171(11):6279–6287. doi: 10.1128/jb.171.11.6279-6287.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Lukat G. S., McCleary W. R., Stock A. M., Stock J. B. Phosphorylation of bacterial response regulator proteins by low molecular weight phospho-donors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1992 Jan 15;89(2):718–722. doi: 10.1073/pnas.89.2.718. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Lukat G. S., Stock A. M., Stock J. B. Divalent metal ion binding to the CheY protein and its significance to phosphotransfer in bacterial chemotaxis. Biochemistry. 1990 Jun 12;29(23):5436–5442. doi: 10.1021/bi00475a004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. McNally D. F., Matsumura P. Bacterial chemotaxis signaling complexes: formation of a CheA/CheW complex enhances autophosphorylation and affinity for CheY. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 Jul 15;88(14):6269–6273. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.14.6269. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Mutoh N., Oosawa K., Simon M. I. Characterization of Escherichia coli chemotaxis receptor mutants with null phenotypes. J Bacteriol. 1986 Sep;167(3):992–998. doi: 10.1128/jb.167.3.992-998.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Ninfa A. J., Ninfa E. G., Lupas A. N., Stock A., Magasanik B., Stock J. Crosstalk between bacterial chemotaxis signal transduction proteins and regulators of transcription of the Ntr regulon: evidence that nitrogen assimilation and chemotaxis are controlled by a common phosphotransfer mechanism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Aug;85(15):5492–5496. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.15.5492. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Ninfa E. G., Stock A., Mowbray S., Stock J. Reconstitution of the bacterial chemotaxis signal transduction system from purified components. J Biol Chem. 1991 May 25;266(15):9764–9770. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Olmedo G., Ninfa E. G., Stock J., Youngman P. Novel mutations that alter the regulation of sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. Evidence that phosphorylation of regulatory protein SpoOA controls the initiation of sporulation. J Mol Biol. 1990 Oct 5;215(3):359–372. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(05)80357-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Oosawa K., Hess J. F., Simon M. I. Mutants defective in bacterial chemotaxis show modified protein phosphorylation. Cell. 1988 Apr 8;53(1):89–96. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(88)90490-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Parkinson J. S., Kofoid E. C. Communication modules in bacterial signaling proteins. Annu Rev Genet. 1992;26:71–112. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ge.26.120192.000443. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Ridgway H. G., Silverman M., Simon M. I. Localization of proteins controlling motility and chemotaxis in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1977 Nov;132(2):657–665. doi: 10.1128/jb.132.2.657-665.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Smith R. A., Parkinson J. S. Overlapping genes at the cheA locus of Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1980 Sep;77(9):5370–5374. doi: 10.1073/pnas.77.9.5370. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Stader J., Matsumura P., Vacante D., Dean G. E., Macnab R. M. Nucleotide sequence of the Escherichia coli motB gene and site-limited incorporation of its product into the cytoplasmic membrane. J Bacteriol. 1986 Apr;166(1):244–252. doi: 10.1128/jb.166.1.244-252.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Stock A., Chen T., Welsh D., Stock J. CheA protein, a central regulator of bacterial chemotaxis, belongs to a family of proteins that control gene expression in response to changing environmental conditions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Mar;85(5):1403–1407. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.5.1403. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Stock J. B., Lukat G. S., Stock A. M. Bacterial chemotaxis and the molecular logic of intracellular signal transduction networks. Annu Rev Biophys Biophys Chem. 1991;20:109–136. doi: 10.1146/annurev.bb.20.060191.000545. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Stock J. B., Ninfa A. J., Stock A. M. Protein phosphorylation and regulation of adaptive responses in bacteria. Microbiol Rev. 1989 Dec;53(4):450–490. doi: 10.1128/mr.53.4.450-490.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Wolfe A. J., Conley M. P., Berg H. C. Acetyladenylate plays a role in controlling the direction of flagellar rotation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Sep;85(18):6711–6715. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.18.6711. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Wylie D., Stock A., Wong C. Y., Stock J. Sensory transduction in bacterial chemotaxis involves phosphotransfer between Che proteins. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1988 Mar 15;151(2):891–896. doi: 10.1016/s0006-291x(88)80365-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES