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Chemotaxis systems enable microbes to sense their immediate environment, moving towards beneficial stimuli and away from those that are harmful. In an effort to better understand the chemotaxis system of Sinorhizobium meliloti , a symbiont of the legume alfalfa, the cellular stoichiometries of all ten chemotaxis proteins in S. meliloti were determined. A combination of quantitative immunoblot and mass spectrometry revealed that the protein stoichiometries in S. meliloti varied greatly from those in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis . To compare protein ratios to other systems, values were normalized to the central kinase CheA. All S. meliloti chemotaxis proteins exhibited increased ratios to varying degrees. The ten-fold higher molar ratio of adaptor proteins CheW1 and CheW2 to CheA might result in the formation of rings in the chemotaxis array that only consist of CheW instead of CheA and CheW in a 1:1 ratio. We hypothesize that the higher ratio of CheA to the main response regulator CheY2 is a consequence of the speed-variable motor in S. meliloti , instead of a switch-type motor. Similarly, proteins involved in signal termination are far more abundant in S. meliloti , which utilizes a phosphate-sink mechanism based on CheA retro-phosphorylation to inactivate the motor response regulator versus CheZ-catalyzed dephosphorylation as in E. coli and B. subtilis . Finally, the abundance of CheB and CheR, which regulate chemoreceptor methylation, was increased when compared to CheA, indicative of variations in the adaptation system of S. meliloti . Collectively, these results mark significant differences in the composition of bacterial chemotaxis systems. IMPORTANCE The symbiotic soil bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti contributes greatly to host-plant growth by fixing atmospheric nitrogen. The provision of nitrogen as ammonium by S. meliloti leads to increased biomass production of its legume host alfalfa and diminishes the use of environmentally harmful chemical fertilizers. To better understand the role of chemotaxis in host-microbe interaction, a comprehensive catalogue of the bacterial chemotaxis system is vital, including its composition, function, and regulation. The stoichiometry of chemotaxis proteins in S. meliloti has very few similarities to the systems in E. coli and B. subtilis . In addition, total amounts of proteins are significantly lower. S. meliloti exhibits a chemotaxis system distinct from known models by incorporating new proteins as exemplified by the phosphate sink mechanism.
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The dual role of a novel Sinorhizobium meliloti chemotaxis protein CheT in signal termination and adaptation
Abstract Sinorhizobium melilotisenses nutrients and compounds exuded from alfalfa host roots and coordinates an excitation, termination, and adaptation pathway during chemotaxis. We investigated the role of the novelS. melilotichemotaxis protein CheT. While CheT and theEscherichia coliphosphatase CheZ share little sequence homology, CheT is predicted to possess an α‐helix with a DXXXQ phosphatase motif. Phosphorylation assays demonstrated that CheT dephosphorylates the phosphate‐sink response regulator, CheY1~P by enhancing its decay two‐fold but does not affect the motor response regulator CheY2~P. Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) experiments revealed that CheT binds to a phosphomimic of CheY1~P with a KDof 2.9 μM, which is 25‐fold stronger than its binding to CheY1. Dissimilar chemotaxis phenotypes of the ΔcheTmutant andcheTDXXXQ phosphatase mutants led to the hypothesis that CheT exerts additional function(s). A screen for potential binding partners of CheT revealed that it forms a complex with the methyltransferase CheR. ITC experiments confirmed CheT/CheR binding with a KDof 19 μM, and a SEC‐MALS analysis determined a 1:1 and 2:1 CheT/CheR complex formation. Although they did not affect each other's enzymatic activity, CheT binding to CheY1~P and CheR may serve as a link between signal termination and sensory adaptation.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2128233
- PAR ID:
- 10528944
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley-Blackwell
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Molecular Microbiology
- Volume:
- 122
- Issue:
- 4
- ISSN:
- 0950-382X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: p. 429-446
- Size(s):
- p. 429-446
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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