title: The diverse CheC-type phosphatases: chemotaxis and beyond.
abstract: A new class of protein phosphatases has emerged in the study of bacterial/archaeal chemotaxis, the CheC-type phosphatases. These proteins are distinct and unrelated to the well-known CheY-P phosphatase CheZ, though they have convergently evolved to dephosphorylate the same target. The family contains a common consensus sequence D/S-X(3)-E-X(2)-N-X(22)-P that defines the phosphatase active site, of which there are often two per protein. Three distinct subgroups make up the family: CheC, FliY and CheX. Further, the CheC subgroup can be divided into three classes. Bacillus subtilis CheC typifies the first class and might function as a regulator of CheD. Class II CheCs likely function as phosphatases in systems other than chemotaxis. Class III CheCs are found in the archaeal class Halobacteria and might function as class I CheCs. FliY is the main phosphatase in the B. subtilis chemotaxis system. CheX is quite divergent from the rest of the family, forms a dimer and some may function outside chemotaxis. A model for the evolution of the family is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Colleges of Medicine and Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. tjmuff@scripps.edu
authors.forename: Travis J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Muff
authors.forename: George W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Ordal
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C446291:CheC protein, Bacillus subtilis; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C078318:FliY protein, Bacteria; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases