title: A global analysis of protein expression profiles in Sinorhizobium meliloti: discovery of new genes for nodule occupancy and stress adaptation.
abstract: A proteomic examination of Sinorhizobium meliloti strain 1021 was undertaken using a combination of 2-D gel electrophoresis, peptide mass fingerprinting, and bioinformatics. Our goal was to identify (i) putative symbiosis- or nutrient-stress-specific proteins, (ii) the biochemical pathways active under different conditions, (iii) potential new genes, and (iv) the extent of posttranslational modifications of S. meliloti proteins. In total, we identified the protein products of 810 genes (13.1% of the genome's coding capacity). The 810 genes generated 1,180 gene products, with chromosomal genes accounting for 78% of the gene products identified (18.8% of the chromosome's coding capacity). The activity of 53 metabolic pathways was inferred from bioinformatic analysis of proteins with assigned Enzyme Commission numbers. Of the remaining proteins that did not encode enzymes, ABC-type transporters composed 12.7% and regulatory proteins 3.4% of the total. Proteins with up to seven transmembrane domains were identified in membrane preparations. A total of 27 putative nodule-specific proteins and 35 nutrient-stress-specific proteins were identified and used as a basis to define genes and describe processes occurring in S. meliloti cells in nodules and under stress. Several nodule proteins from the plant host were present in the nodule bacteria preparations. We also identified seven potentially novel proteins not predicted from the DNA sequence. Post-translational modifications such as N-terminal processing could be inferred from the data. The posttranslational addition of UMP to the key regulator of nitrogen metabolism, PII, was demonstrated. This work demonstrates the utility of combining mass spectrometry with protein arraying or separation techniques to identify candidate genes involved in important biological processes and niche occupations that may be intransigent to other methods of gene expression profiling.
authors.affiliation: Genomic Interactions Group, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, GPO Box 475, Canberra, ACT 2601 Australia. Michael@rsbs.anu.edu.au
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Djordjevic
authors.forename: Han Cai
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Siria
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Natera
authors.forename: Giel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Noorden
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Menzel
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Clotilde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Renard
authors.forename: Otto
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Geiger
authors.forename: Georg F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Weiller
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D022081:Cell Surface Extensions / Q000235:genetics; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D007526:Isoelectric Point; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009591:Nitrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D016962:Sinorhizobium meliloti / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D010758:Phosphorus; D002244:Carbon; D009591:Nitrogenase; D010450:Endopeptidases