ACT domains located C-terminal to the catalytic domain of the aspartokinase of the ectoine (1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2-methyl pyrimidine-4-carboxylate) biosynthetic pathway
This CD includes the first of two ACT domains located C-terminal to the catalytic domain of the aspartokinase of the ectoine (1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2-methyl pyrimidine-4-carboxylate) biosynthetic pathway found in Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum, Vibrio cholerae, and various other halotolerant or halophilic bacteria. Bacteria exposed to hyperosmotic stress accumulate organic solutes called 'compatible solutes' of which ectoine, a heterocyclic amino acid, is one. Apart from its osmotic function, ectoine also exhibits a protective effect on proteins, nucleic acids and membranes against a variety of stress factors. de novo synthesis of ectoine starts with the phosphorylation of L-aspartate and shares its first two enzymatic steps with the biosynthesis of amino acids of the aspartate family: aspartokinase and L-aspartate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase. The M. alcaliphilum and the V. cholerae aspartokinases are encoded on the ectABCask operon. Members of this CD belong to the superfamily of ACT regulatory domains.