ComQXPA quorum sensing systems may not be unique to Bacillus subtilis: a census in prokaryotic genomes.
The comQXPA locus of Bacillus subtilis encodes a quorum sensing (QS) system typical of Gram positive bacteria. It encodes four proteins, the ComQ isoprenyl transferase, the ComX pre-peptide signal, the ComP histidine kinase, and the ComA response regulator. These are encoded by four adjacent genes all situated on the same chromosome strand. Here we present results of a comprehensive census of comQXPA-like gene arrangements in 2620 complete and 6970 draft prokaryotic genomes (sequenced by the end of 2013). After manually checking the data for false-positive and false-negative hits, we found 39 novel com-like predictions. The census data show that in addition to B. subtilis and close relatives, 20 comQXPA-like loci are predicted to occur outside the B. subtilis clade. These include some species of Clostridiales order, but none outside the phylum Firmicutes. Characteristic gene-overlap patterns were observed in comQXPA loci, which were different for the B. subtilis-like and non-B. subtilis-like clades. Pronounced sequence variability associated with the ComX peptide in B. subtilis clade is evident also in the non-B. subtilis clade suggesting grossly similar evolutionary constraints in the underlying quorum sensing systems.
Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Iztok
I
Dogsa
Group of Protein Structure and Bioinformatics, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy.
Kumari Sonal
KS
Choudhary
Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Ziva
Z
Marsetic
Group of Protein Structure and Bioinformatics, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy.
Sanjarbek
S
Hudaiberdiev
Group of Protein Structure and Bioinformatics, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy; Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary.
Roberto
R
Vera
Group of Protein Structure and Bioinformatics, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy; Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary.
Sándor
S
Pongor
Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Ines
I
Mandic-Mulec
D054742:Acyl-Butyrolactones / Q000378:metabolism; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics*; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D056426:Genetic Loci / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016680:Genome, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D023281:Genomics; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000235:genetics*
D054742:Acyl-Butyrolactones