Heterologous Expression of Pseudomonas putida Methyl-Accepting Chemotaxis Proteins Yields Escherichia coli Cells Chemotactic to Aromatic Compounds.

ABSTRACT: Escherichia coli, commonly used in chemotaxis studies, is attracted mostly by amino acids, sugars, and peptides. We envisioned modifying the chemotaxis specificity of E. coli by expressing heterologous chemoreceptors from Pseudomonas putida enabling attraction either to toluene or benzoate. The mcpT gene encoding the type 40-helical bundle (40H) methyl-accepting chemoreceptor for toluene from Pseudomonas putida MT53 and the pcaY gene for the type 40H receptor for benzoate and related molecules from P. putida F1 were expressed from the trg promoter on a plasmid in motile wild-type E. coli MG1655. E. coli cells expressing McpT accumulated in chemoattraction assays to sources with 60 to 200 μM toluene, although less strongl

SUBMITTER: Roggo C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6121982 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature