title: Unique N-terminal arm of Mycobacterium tuberculosis PhoP protein plays an unusual role in its regulatory function.
creator: Das, Arijit Kumar
creator: Kumar, Vijjamarri Anil
creator: Sevalkar, Ritesh Rajesh
creator: Bansal, Roohi
creator: Sarkar, Dibyendu
description: Mycobacterium tuberculosis PhoP, a master regulator involved in complex lipid biosynthesis and expression of unknown virulence determinants, is composed of an N-terminal receiver domain and a C-terminal effector domain. The two experimentally characterized PhoP orthologs, from Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica, display vastly different regulatory capabilities. Here, we demonstrate that the 20-residue-long N-terminal arm unique to M. tuberculosis PhoP plays an essential role in the expanded regulatory capabilities of this important regulator. Although the arm is not required for overall structural stability and/or phosphorylation of the PhoP N-domain, strikingly it is essential for phosphorylation-coupled transcription regulation of target genes. Consistent with this view, arm truncation of PhoP is accompanied by a conformational change of the effector domain, presenting a block in activation subsequent to phosphorylation. These results suggest that presence of the arm, unique to this regulator that shares an otherwise highly conserved domain structure with members of the protein family, contributes to the mechanism of inter-domain interactions. Thus, we propose that the N-terminal arm is an adaptable structural feature of M. tuberculosis PhoP, which evolved to fine-tune regulatory capabilities of the transcription factor in response to the changing physiology of the bacilli within its host.
publisher: Baltimore, MD : American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
date: 2013-10-04
type: Article
type: PeerReviewed
relation: http://www.jbc.org/content/288/40/29182.long
identifier:   Das, Arijit Kumar and Kumar, Vijjamarri Anil and Sevalkar, Ritesh Rajesh and Bansal, Roohi and Sarkar, Dibyendu  (2013) Unique N-terminal arm of Mycobacterium tuberculosis PhoP protein plays an unusual role in its regulatory function.  The Journal of biological chemistry, 288 (40).  pp. 29182-92.  ISSN 1083-351X     
relation: http://crdd.osdd.net/open/1620/