title: Myxococcus xanthus sasS encodes a sensor histidine kinase required for early developmental gene expression.
abstract: Initiation of Myxococcus xanthus multicellular development requires integration of information concerning the cells' nutrient status and density. A gain-of-function mutation, sasB7, that bypasses both the starvation and high cell density requirements for developmental expression of the 4521 reporter gene, maps to the sasS gene. The wild-type sasS gene was cloned and sequenced. This gene is predicted to encode a sensor histidine protein kinase that appears to be a key element in the transduction of starvation and cell density inputs. The sasS null mutants express 4521 at a basal level, form defective fruiting bodies, and exhibit reduced sporulation efficiencies. These data indicate that the wild-type sasS gene product functions as a positive regulator of 4521 expression and participates in M. xanthus development. The N terminus of SasS is predicted to contain two transmembrane domains that would locate the protein to the cytoplasmic membrane. The sasB7 mutation, an E139K missense mutation, maps to the predicted N-terminal periplasmic region. The C terminus of SasS contains all of the conserved residues typical of the sensor histidine protein kinases. SasS is predicted to be the sensor protein in a two-component system that integrates information required for M. xanthus developmental gene expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 77030, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Kaplan
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D000071677:Histidine Kinase; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D009231:Myxococcales; D016941:Myxococcus xanthus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*; D013171:Spores, Bacterial; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases; D000071677:Histidine Kinase