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Engineered chemotaxis core signaling units indicate a constrained kinase-off state.

ABSTRACT: Bacterial chemoreceptors, the histidine kinase CheA, and the coupling protein CheW form transmembrane molecular arrays with remarkable sensing properties. The receptors inhibit or stimulate CheA kinase activity depending on the presence of attractants or repellants, respectively. We engineered chemoreceptor cytoplasmic regions to assume a trimer of receptor dimers configuration that formed well-defined complexes with CheA and CheW and promoted a CheA kinase-off state. These mimics of core signaling units were assembled to homogeneity and investigated by site-directed spin-labeling with pulse-dipolar electron-spin resonance spectroscopy (PDS), small-angle x-ray scattering, targeted protein cross-linking, and cryo-electron microscopy. The kinase-off state was especially stable, had relatively low domain mobility, and associated the histidine substrate and docking domains with the kinase core, thus preventing catalytic activity. Together, these data provide an experimentally restrained model for the inhibited state of the core signaling unit and suggest that chemoreceptors indirectly sequester the kinase and substrate domains to limit histidine autophosphorylation.

SUBMITTER: Muok AR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7790435 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Engineered chemotaxis core signaling units indicate a constrained kinase-off state.

Muok Alise R AR Chua Teck Khiang TK Srivastava Madhur M Yang Wen W Maschmann Zach Z Borbat Petr P PP Chong Jenna J Zhang Sheng S Freed Jack H JH Briegel Ariane A Crane Brian R BR

Science signaling 20201110 657

Bacterial chemoreceptors, the histidine kinase CheA, and the coupling protein CheW form transmembrane molecular arrays with remarkable sensing properties. The receptors inhibit or stimulate CheA kinase activity depending on the presence of attractants or repellants, respectively. We engineered chemoreceptor cytoplasmic regions to assume a trimer of receptor dimers configuration that formed well-defined complexes with CheA and CheW and promoted a CheA kinase-off state. These mimics of core signal ...[more]

PMID: 33172954

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Project description:Bacterial chemotaxis affords motile bacteria the ability to navigate the environment to locate niches for growth and survival. At the molecular level, chemotaxis depends on chemoreceptor signaling arrays that interact with cytoplasmic proteins to control the direction of movement. In Azospirillum brasilense, chemotaxis is mediated by two distinct chemotaxis pathways: Che1 and Che4. Both Che1 and Che4 are critical in the A. brasilense free-living and plant-associated lifestyles. Here, we use whole-cell proteomics and metabolomics to characterize the role of chemotaxis in A. brasilense physiology. We found that mutants lacking CheA1 or CheA4 or both are affected in nonchemotaxis functions, including major changes in transcription, signaling transport, and cell metabolism. We identify specific effects of CheA1 and CheA4 on nitrogen metabolism, including nitrate assimilation and nitrogen fixation, that may depend, at least, on the transcriptional control of rpoN, which encodes RpoN, a global regulator of metabolism, including nitrogen. Consistent with proteomics, the abundance of several nitrogenous compounds (purines, pyrimidines, and amino acids) changed in the metabolomes of the chemotaxis mutants relative to the parental strain. Further, we uncover novel, and yet uncharacterized, layers of transcriptional and posttranscriptional control of nitrogen metabolism regulators. Together, our data reveal roles for CheA1 and CheA4 in linking chemotaxis and nitrogen metabolism, likely through control of global regulatory networks.IMPORTANCE Bacterial chemotaxis is widespread in bacteria, increasing competitiveness in diverse environments and mediating associations with eukaryotic hosts ranging from commensal to beneficial and pathogenic. In most bacteria, chemotaxis signaling is tightly linked to energy metabolism, with this coupling occurring through the sensory input of several energy-sensing chemoreceptors. Here, we show that in A. brasilense the chemotaxis proteins have key roles in modulating nitrogen metabolism, including nitrate assimilation and nitrogen fixation, through novel and yet unknown regulations. These results are significant given that A. brasilense is a model bacterium for plant growth promotion and free-living nitrogen fixation and is used as a bio-inoculant for cereal crops. Chemotaxis signaling in A. brasilense thus links locomotor behaviors to nitrogen metabolism, allowing cells to continuously and reciprocally adjust metabolism and chemotaxis signaling as they navigate gradients.

Project description:Chemotaxis is used by free-living motile bacteria to swim towards nutrient sources or away from repellents, and to navigate the environment to locate niches optimal for growth and survival. Multiple chemotaxis systems have been identified in different bacterial species, including Azospirillum brasilense. In A. brasilense, chemotaxis is mediated by two distinct chemotaxis pathways, named Che1 and Che4, that physically interact to form mixed chemotaxis signaling arrays. Signaling from the Che1 and Che4 pathways control transient increases in swimming speed and swimming reversals, respectively, during chemotaxis. In A. brasilense, chemotaxis is tightly linked to energy metabolism with this coupling occurring through the sensory input of several energy-sensing chemoreceptors and through the control of chemoreceptor activity by the c-di-GMP second messenger. Previous work has demonstrated that chemotaxis in A. brasilense also affects unrelated cellular functions including cell-to-cell clumping and flocculation. However, the molecular mechanism for these effects is not known. Here, we identify additional effects of mutations abolishing Che1 (cheA1 mutant), Che4 (cheA4 mutant) or both Che1 and Che4 (cheA1/cheA4 mutant) function on nitrogen and carbon metabolism and use whole cell proteome and metabolome mass spectrometry to further characterize the interplay between chemotaxis and metabolism. We found that CheA1 mediates most changes in chemoreceptor arrays composition and also affects small molecules signaling while a mutant lacking CheA4 displays changes in nitrogen metabolism, including nitrate assimilation and nitrogen fixation. In contrast, the mutant lacking both CheA1 and CheA4, which lacks chemotaxis and does not form chemotaxis signaling arrays, displays distinct and non-overlapping changes that suggest the assembly of chemotaxis signaling arrays modulates energy and carbon metabolism. Together, the results suggest distinct roles for CheA1, CheA4 and chemotaxis signaling arrays in modulating chemotaxis and metabolism, likely through control of distinct global regulatory networks.

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Engineered chemotaxis core signaling units indicate a constrained kinase-off state.

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Engineered chemotaxis core signaling units indicate a constrained kinase-off state.

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