Rewiring a receptor: negative output from positive input.
A point mutation or covalent modification in bacterial chemotaxis receptors causes bacteria to be repelled by attractants, and attracted to repellents. The variety of conditions causing inverse responses suggest that the signal transduction mechanism in receptors can be readily rewired to elicit inverse responses. A model is presented in which the orientation of a critical residue with respect to an active site determines whether the receptor produces normal or inverted signals. The model is consistent with observed responses and can be generalized to include receptors in other signal transduction systems.
Taylor
B L
BL
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, and Center for Molecular Biology and Gene Therapy, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, CA 92350, USA. blTaylor@ccmail.llu.edu
Johnson
M S
MS
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000502:physiology; D002630:Chemotactic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000502:physiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface