Trigger enzymes: bifunctional proteins active in metabolism and in controlling gene expression

Abstract:

All regulatory processes require components that sense the environmental or metabolic conditions of the cell, and sophisticated sensory proteins have been studied in great detail. During the last few years, it turned out that enzymes can control gene expression in response to the availability of their substrates. Here, we review four different mechanisms by which these enzymes interfere with regulation in bacteria. First, some enzymes have acquired a DNA-binding domain and act as direct transcription repressors by binding DNA in the absence of their substrates. A second class is represented by aconitase, which can bind iron responsive elements in the absence of iron to control the expression of genes involved in iron homoeostasis. The third class of these enzymes is sugar permeases of the phosphotransferase system that control the activity of transcription regulators by phosphorylating them in the absence of the specific substrate. Finally, a fourth class of regulatory enzymes controls the activity of transcription factors by inhibitory protein-protein interactions. We suggest that the enzymes that are active in the control of gene expression should be designated as trigger enzymes. An analysis of the occurrence of trigger enzymes suggests that the duplication and subsequent functional specialization is a major pattern in their evolution.

SEEK ID: https://fairdomhub.org/publications/151

PubMed ID: 18086213

Projects: BaCell-SysMO

Publication type: Not specified

Journal: Mol. Microbiol.

Citation:

Date Published: 11th Dec 2007

Registered Mode: Not specified

Authors: Fabian M Commichau,

help Submitter
Activity

Views: 3245

Created: 2nd May 2012 at 12:35

Last updated: 8th Dec 2022 at 17:26

help Tags

This item has not yet been tagged.

help Attributions

None

Powered by
(v.1.14.2)
Copyright © 2008 - 2023 The University of Manchester and HITS gGmbH