C4-dicarboxylate carriers and sensors in bacteria

Biochim Biophys Acta. 2002 Jan 17;1553(1-2):39-56. doi: 10.1016/s0005-2728(01)00233-x.

Abstract

Bacteria contain secondary carriers for the uptake, exchange or efflux of C4-dicarboxylates. In aerobic bacteria, dicarboxylate transport (Dct)A carriers catalyze uptake of C4-dicarboxylates in a H(+)- or Na(+)-C4-dicarboxylate symport. Carriers of the dicarboxylate uptake (Dcu)AB family are used for electroneutral fumarate:succinate antiport which is required in anaerobic fumarate respiration. The DcuC carriers apparently function in succinate efflux during fermentation. The tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporter carriers are secondary uptake carriers requiring a periplasmic solute binding protein. For heterologous exchange of C4-dicarboxylates with other carboxylic acids (such as citrate:succinate by CitT) further types of carriers are used. The different families of C4-dicarboxylate carriers, the biochemistry of the transport reactions, and their metabolic functions are described. Many bacteria contain membraneous C4-dicarboxylate sensors which control the synthesis of enzymes for C4-dicarboxylate metabolism. The C4-dicarboxylate sensors DcuS, DctB, and DctS are histidine protein kinases and belong to different families of two-component systems. They contain periplasmic domains presumably involved in C4-dicarboxylate sensing. In DcuS the periplasmic domain seems to be essential for direct interaction with the C4-dicarboxylates. In signal perception by DctB, interaction of the C4-dicarboxylates with DctB and the DctA carrier plays an important role.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Bacteria, Aerobic / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Biological Transport
  • Dicarboxylic Acid Transporters / chemistry
  • Dicarboxylic Acid Transporters / genetics
  • Dicarboxylic Acid Transporters / metabolism*
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli Proteins*
  • Fumarates / metabolism
  • Models, Chemical
  • Organic Anion Transporters / metabolism*
  • Phylogeny
  • Protein Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Succinic Acid / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • CitT protein, E coli
  • Dicarboxylic Acid Transporters
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Fumarates
  • Organic Anion Transporters
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • DCTB protein, Sinorhizobium
  • fumaric acid
  • Succinic Acid
  • Protein Kinases