Processing and export of peptide pheromones and bacteriocins in Gram-negative bacteria.
Cell-density-dependent gene expression is widespread in bacteria and is mediated by extracellular communication molecules. Gram-negative bacteria often use N-acyl homoserine lactones, whereas cell-cell signaling in Gram-positive bacteria is accomplished using post-translationally processed peptide pheromones. In many Gram-positive bacteria, export of these peptides requires the activity of a dedicated ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, which cleaves off a typical leader peptide termed the double-glycine leader sequence concomitant with translocation across the membrane. Inspection of bacterial genome sequences has revealed the presence of similar ABC transporters, as well as genes encoding peptides with double-glycine-type leader sequences in Gram-negative bacteria, and it is suggested that the postulated transported peptides could perform a signaling function.
Michiels
J
J
Center of Microbial and Plant Genetics, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, B-3001, Heverlee, Belgium. jan.michels@agr.kuleuven.ac.be
Dirix
G
G
Vanderleyden
J
J
Xi
C
C
D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D010675:Pheromones / Q000378:metabolism*; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D021381:Protein Transport; D015398:Signal Transduction
D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D001430:Bacteriocins; D010455:Peptides; D010675:Pheromones; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals