Evidence that TraT interacts with OmpA of Escherichia coli.
The OmpA protein is one of the major outer membrane proteins of Escherichia coli. Among other functions the protein serves as a receptor for several phages and increases the efficiency of F-mediated conjugation when present in recipient cells. TraT is an F-factor-coded outer membrane lipoprotein involved in surface exclusion, the mechanism by which E. coli strains carrying F-factors become poor recipients in conjugation. To determine a possible interaction of TraT with OmpA, the influence of TraT on phage binding to cells was measured. Because TraT inhibits inactivation of OmpA-specific phages it is suggested that TraT interacts directly with OmpA. Sequence homology of TraT with proteins 38, the phage proteins recognizing outer membrane proteins, supports this finding. A model of protein interactions is discussed.
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D008954:Models, Biological; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013604:T-Phages / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D011991:Receptors, Virus; C036297:TraT protein, E coli; D014764:Viral Proteins