title: Bacterial intein-like domains of predatory bacteria: a new domain type characterized in Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus.
abstract: We report a new family of bacterial intein-like domains (BILs) identified in ten proteins of four diverse predatory bacteria. BILs belong to the HINT (Hedgehog/Intein) superfamily of domains that post-translationally self-process their protein molecules by protein splicing and self-cleavage. The new, C-type, BILs appear with other domains, including putative predator-specific domain 1 (PPS-1), a new domain typically appearing immediately upstream of C-type BILs. The Bd2400 protein of the obligate predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus includes a C-type BIL and a PPS-1 domains at its C-terminal part, and a signal peptide and two polycystic kidney disease domains at its N-terminal part. We demonstrate the in vivo transcription, translation, secretion, and processing of the B. bacteriovorus protein, and the in vitro autocatalytic N-terminal cleavage activity of its C-type BIL. Interestingly, whereas the Bd2400 gene is constitutively expressed, its protein product is differentially processed throughout the dimorphic life cycle of the B. bacteriovorus predator. The modular structure of the protein, its localization, and complex processing suggest that it may be involved in the interaction between the predator and its prey.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: Mally
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dori-Bachash
authors.forename: Bareket
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dassa
authors.forename: Ofer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Peleg
authors.forename: Silvia A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Pineiro
authors.forename: Edouard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jurkevitch
authors.forename: Shmuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pietrokovski
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001501:Bdellovibrio / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D047668:Inteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins