The role of methylation in the taxis of Halobacterium halobium to light and chemo‐effectors

[摘要]

In Halobacterium halobium tactic responses towards light and chemoeffectors are accompanied by changes in the methylation level of methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCP). Taxis towards green light absorbed by the bacteriorhodopsin proton pump appears to be governed by Δ _H+-sensing. The addition of CCCP, an uncoupler, prevented the increase of MCP methylation in response to green light illumination, but had no effect on CH₃-incorporation followed by the addition of the attractants glucose, leucine and histidine. Similarly, CCCP did not change MCP demethylation in response to blue light illumination, a repelling stimuli.

[学科分类] 生物化学/生物物理

[关键词] Halobacterium halobium photobehavior;ΔH +-sensing;Protein methylation;Blue-light taxis;CCCP;m-chlorocarbonylcyanidephenylhydrasone;MCP;methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein;P370;blue-light taxis receptor;SDS;sodium dodecyl sulfate