Download MendeleyIdentification of an amphipathic peptide sensor of the Bacillus subtilisfluid membrane microdomains.
Jiang, Y., Dai, X., Qin, M., Guo, Z.(2019) Commun Biol 2: 316-316
- PubMed: 31453380
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-019-0562-8
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
6A1K - PubMed Abstract:
Regions of increased fluidity are newly found bacterial membrane microdomains that are composed of short, unsaturated and branched fatty acyl chains in a fluid and disordered state. Currently, little is known about how proteins are recruited and localized to these membrane domains. Here, we identify a short amphipathic α-peptide in a previously unreported crystal structure and show that it is responsible for peripheral localization of the phosphate acyltransferase PlsX to the fluid microdomains in Bacillus subtilis . Mutations disrupting the amphipathic interaction or increasing the nonpolar interaction are found to redistribute the protein to the cytosol or other part of the plasma membrane, causing growth defects. These results reveal a mechanism of peripheral membrane sensing through optimizing nonpolar interaction with the special lipids in the microdomains. This finding shows that the fluid membrane microdomains may take advantage of their unique lipid environment as a means of recruiting and organizing proteins.
Organizational Affiliation:
Shenzhen Research Institute and Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR China.
