Duplication of genes in an ATP-binding cassette transport system increases dynamic range while maintaining ligand specificity.

ABSTRACT: Many bacteria exist in a state of feast or famine where high nutrient availability leads to periods of growth followed by nutrient scarcity and growth stagnation. To adapt to the constantly changing nutrient flux, metabolite acquisition systems must be able to function over a broad range. This, however, creates difficulties as nutrient concentrations vary over many orders of magnitude, requiring metabolite acquisition systems to simultaneously balance ligand specificity and the dynamic range in which a response to a metabolite is elicited. Here we present how a gene duplication of a periplasmic binding protein in a mannose ATP-binding cassette transport system potentially resolves this dilemma through gene functionalization. Determination of ligand binding affinities and specificities of t

SUBMITTER: Ghimire-Rijal S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4208016 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature