TY - JOUR
T1 - Methanol production during chemotaxis to amino acids in Bacillus subtilis
AU - Kirby, John R.
AU - Kristich, Christopher J.
AU - Feinberg, Shelby L.
AU - Ordal, George W.
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - The 20 common amino acids act as attractants during chemotaxis by the Gram-positive organism Bacillus subtilis. In this study, we report that ail amino acids induce B. subtilis to produce methanol both upon addition and removal of the chemoeffector. Asparagine-induced methanol production is specific to the McpB receptor and aspartate-induced methanol production correlates with receptor occupancy. These findings suggest that addition and removal of all amino acids cause demethylation of specific receptors which results in methanol production. We also demonstrate that certain attractants cause greater production of methanol after multiple stimulations. CheC and CheD, while affecting the levers of receptor methylation; are not absolutely required for either methylation or demethylation. In contrast, CheY is necessary for methanol formation upon removal of attractant but not upon addition of attractant. We conclude that methanol formation due to negative stimuli indicates the existence of a unique adaptational mechanism in B. subtilis involving the response regulator, CheY.
AB - The 20 common amino acids act as attractants during chemotaxis by the Gram-positive organism Bacillus subtilis. In this study, we report that ail amino acids induce B. subtilis to produce methanol both upon addition and removal of the chemoeffector. Asparagine-induced methanol production is specific to the McpB receptor and aspartate-induced methanol production correlates with receptor occupancy. These findings suggest that addition and removal of all amino acids cause demethylation of specific receptors which results in methanol production. We also demonstrate that certain attractants cause greater production of methanol after multiple stimulations. CheC and CheD, while affecting the levers of receptor methylation; are not absolutely required for either methylation or demethylation. In contrast, CheY is necessary for methanol formation upon removal of attractant but not upon addition of attractant. We conclude that methanol formation due to negative stimuli indicates the existence of a unique adaptational mechanism in B. subtilis involving the response regulator, CheY.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030905518&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0030905518&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1046/j.1365-2958.1997.3941759.x
DO - 10.1046/j.1365-2958.1997.3941759.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 9194713
AN - SCOPUS:0030905518
SN - 0950-382X
VL - 24
SP - 869
EP - 878
JO - Molecular Microbiology
JF - Molecular Microbiology
IS - 4
ER -