Transport genes of Chromobacterium violaceum: an overview.
The complete genome sequence of the free-living bacterium Chromobacterium violaceum has been determined by a consortium of laboratories in Brazil. Almost 500 open reading frames (ORFs) coding for transport-related membrane proteins were identified in C. violaceum, which represents 11% of all genes found. The main class of transporter proteins is the primary active transporters (212 ORFs), followed by electrochemical potential-driven transporters (154 ORFs) and channels/pores (62 ORFs). Other classes (61 ORFs) include group translocators, transport electron carriers, accessory factors, and incompletely characterized systems. Therefore, all major categories of transport-related membrane proteins currently recognized in the Transport Protein Database (http://tcdb.ucsd.edu/tcdb) are present in C. violaceum. The complex apparatus of transporters of C. violaceum is certainly an important factor that makes this bacterium a dominant microorganism in a variety of ecosystems in tropical and subtropical regions. From a biotechnological point of view, the most important finding is the transporters of heavy metals, which could lead to the exploitation of C. violaceum for bioremediation.
Grangeiro
Thalles Barbosa
TB
Laboratório de Citogenética e Genética Molecular, Departamento de Biologia, Bloco 906, Campus do Pici, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. Humberto Monte, s/n, 60451-970 Fortaleza, CE, Brasil. thalles@ufc.br
Jorge
Daniel Macedo de Melo
DM
Bezerra
Walderly Melgaço
WM
Vasconcelos
Ana Tereza Ribeiro
AT
Simpson
Andrew John George
AJ
D001692:Biological Transport / Q000235:genetics; D002861:Chromobacterium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics*
D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins