Functional roles of the conserved Glu304 loop of Bacillus subtilis glutamine synthetase.

ABSTRACT: The enzymatic activity of Bacillus subtilis glutamine synthetase (GS), which catalyzes the synthesis of glutamine from ammonium and glutamate, is regulated by glutamine feedback inhibition. The feedback-inhibited form of B. subtilis GS regulates the DNA-binding activities of the TnrA and GlnR nitrogen transcriptional factors. Bacterial GS proteins contain a flexible seven-residue loop, the Glu304 flap, that closes over the glutamate entrance to the active site. Amino acid substitutions in Glu304 flap residues were examined for their effects on gene regulation, enzymatic activity, and feedback inhibition. Substitutions in five of the Glu304 loop residues resulted in constitutive expression of both TnrA- and GlnR-regulated genes, indicating that this flap is important for regulating the acti

SUBMITTER: Wray LV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2944536 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature