Patenge N, Berendes A, Engelhardt H, Schuster S C, Oesterhelt D
Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, Department of Membrane Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18A, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
Mol Microbiol. 2001 Aug;41(3):653-63. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2958.2001.02542.x.
In this study, a flagella-related protein gene cluster is described for Halobacterium salinarum. The fla gene cluster is located upstream of the flagellin genes flgB1-3 and oriented in the opposite direction. It consists of nine open reading frames (ORFs): htpIX, a member of the halobacterial transducer protein gene family, and the genes flaD-K. The genes flaD, E, G, H, I and J share high homologies with genes from other Archaea. Interestingly, flaK shows similarities to bacterial genes involved in the regulation of flagellar synthesis. The ORFs of flaH, flaI and flaK contain sequences coding for nucleotide binding sites. Furthermore, flaI contains a motif called the bacterial type II secretion protein E signature, indicating a functional relation to members of the bacterial pili type IV-type II secretion protein superfamily. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis revealed that the genes flaE to flaK are transcribed into one polycistronic message. In frame deletion mutants of flaI were generated by gene replacement. The deletion strain lacks motility and belongs to the fla(-) mutant class, indicating that it is deficient in flagellar biogenesis. The overall amount of flagellin protein in Delta flaI cells is reduced, although transcription of the flagellin genes is unaffected. Therefore, the flaI gene product is involved in the biosynthesis, transport or assembly of flagella in H. salinarum.
在本研究中，描述了盐生盐杆菌的一个鞭毛相关蛋白基因簇。fla基因簇位于鞭毛蛋白基因flgB1 - 3的上游，方向相反。它由九个开放阅读框（ORF）组成：htpIX，盐杆菌转导蛋白基因家族的一个成员，以及基因flaD - K。基因flaD、E、G、H、I和J与其他古菌的基因具有高度同源性。有趣的是，flaK与参与鞭毛合成调控的细菌基因相似。flaH、flaI和flaK的开放阅读框包含编码核苷酸结合位点的序列。此外，flaI包含一个称为细菌II型分泌蛋白E特征的基序，表明与细菌菌毛IV型 - II型分泌蛋白超家族成员存在功能关系。逆转录 - 聚合酶链反应（RT - PCR）分析表明，基因flaE至flaK转录成一条多顺反子信息。通过基因替换产生了flaI的框内缺失突变体。缺失菌株缺乏运动性，属于fla(-)突变体类别，表明其在鞭毛生物合成方面存在缺陷。尽管鞭毛蛋白基因的转录未受影响，但ΔflaI细胞中鞭毛蛋白的总量减少。因此，flaI基因产物参与了盐生盐杆菌鞭毛的生物合成、运输或组装。
