A linear pentapeptide is a quorum-sensing factor required for mazEF-mediated cell death in Escherichia coli.
mazEF is a toxin-antitoxin module located on many bacterial chromosomes, including those of pathogens. Here, we report that Escherichia coli mazEF-mediated cell death is a population phenomenon requiring a quorum-sensing molecule that we call the extracellular death factor (EDF). Structural analysis revealed that EDF is a linear pentapeptide, Asn-Asn-Trp-Asn-Asn. Each of the five amino acids of EDF is important for its activity.
Kolodkin-Gal
Ilana
I
Department of Molecular Biology, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.
Hazan
Ronen
R
Gaathon
Ariel
A
Carmeli
Shmuel
S
Engelberg-Kulka
Hanna
H
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017209:Apoptosis; D001217:Aspartate-Ammonia Ligase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000502:physiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D050296:Microbial Viability; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D053038:Quorum Sensing
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C422954:MazE protein, E coli; C422955:MazF protein, E coli; D009842:Oligopeptides; C528802:asparagyl-aspargyl-tryptophyl-asparagyl-asparagine; D004722:Endoribonucleases; D001217:Aspartate-Ammonia Ligase