The nifA gene is an important regulatory gene and its product, NifA protein, regulates the expression of many nif genes involved in the nitrogen fixation process. We introduced multiple copies of the constitutively ex...The nifA gene is an important regulatory gene and its product, NifA protein, regulates the expression of many nif genes involved in the nitrogen fixation process. We introduced multiple copies of the constitutively expressed Sinorhizobium meliloti (Sm) or Enterobacter cloacae (Ec) nifA gene into both the nifA mutant strain SmY and the wild-type strain Sm1021. Root nodules produced by SmY containing a constitutively expressed Sm nifA gene were capable of fixing nitrogen, while nodules produced by SmY containing the Ec nifA gene remained unable to fix nitrogen, as is the case for SmY itself. However, transfer of an additional Sm nifA gene into Sm1021 improved the nitrogen-fixing efficiency of root nodules to a greater extent than that observed upon transfer of the Ec nifA gene into Sm1021. Comparative analysis of amino acid sequences between Sm NifA and Ec NifA showed that the N-terminal domain was the least similar, but this domain is indispensable for complementation of the Fix? phenotype of SmY by Sm NifA. We conclude that more than one domain is involved in determining functional differences between Sm NifA and Ec NifA.展开更多
The NifA protein is the central regulator of the nitrogen fixation genes. It activates transcription of nif genes by an alternative holoenzyme form of RNA polymerase containing the σ54 factor. The NifA protein from K...The NifA protein is the central regulator of the nitrogen fixation genes. It activates transcription of nif genes by an alternative holoenzyme form of RNA polymerase containing the σ54 factor. The NifA protein from Klebsiella pneumoniae consists of the N-terminal domain of unknown function, the central catalytic domain with ATPase activity and the C-terminal DNA-binding domain. The Kp NifA protein is sensitive to temperature, while the Enterobacter cloacae NifA protein is less sensitive to temperature than Kp NifA. Our results show that the N-terminal domain of NifA plays the decisive role in the temperature sensitivity of the protein.展开更多
Azospirillum brasilense is a diazotroph associated with many important agricultural crops and shows potential as a biofertilizer. NifA, the transcriptional activator of nitrogen fixation (nif) genes, and GlnB, one of ...Azospirillum brasilense is a diazotroph associated with many important agricultural crops and shows potential as a biofertilizer. NifA, the transcriptional activator of nitrogen fixation (nif) genes, and GlnB, one of PII signal transduction family protein, are key proteins in the regulation of nitrogen fixation in A. brasilense. It was previously reported that the regulation of NifA activity in A. brasilense depends on GlnB. We report here that GlnB was found to interact directly with the N-terminal domain of NifA in vivo under nitrogen-free conditions and the N-terminal mutant of NifA in which the Tyr residues at position 18 and 53 were replaced by Phe (NifA-N-Y18/53F) strengthened the interaction with GlnB. Moreover, we also found that the amino acid residues 66―88 and 165―176 in N-terminus of NifA are responsible for the interaction with GlnB.展开更多
In Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) NifA central domain, when theconservative amino acid residue Thr-290 in C3 region was replaced by Val, the function of NifA for activating the transcription of nif genes was lost. Thus th...In Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) NifA central domain, when theconservative amino acid residue Thr-290 in C3 region was replaced by Val, the function of NifA for activating the transcription of nif genes was lost. Thus the conservative Thr-290 residue seems critical for the activation function of NifA central domain. This point mutant of NifA central domain is used to examine the putative multimerization function of NifA central domain by merodiploid experiment. The results showed that the NifA central domain bore the multimerization determinants of NifA protein. A series of truncated mutants of NifA were constructed to determine the structural elements at the central domain critical for multimerization. It demonstrates that amino acid residues 252-453 are involved in the multimerization function of NifA central domain.展开更多
文摘The nifA gene is an important regulatory gene and its product, NifA protein, regulates the expression of many nif genes involved in the nitrogen fixation process. We introduced multiple copies of the constitutively expressed Sinorhizobium meliloti (Sm) or Enterobacter cloacae (Ec) nifA gene into both the nifA mutant strain SmY and the wild-type strain Sm1021. Root nodules produced by SmY containing a constitutively expressed Sm nifA gene were capable of fixing nitrogen, while nodules produced by SmY containing the Ec nifA gene remained unable to fix nitrogen, as is the case for SmY itself. However, transfer of an additional Sm nifA gene into Sm1021 improved the nitrogen-fixing efficiency of root nodules to a greater extent than that observed upon transfer of the Ec nifA gene into Sm1021. Comparative analysis of amino acid sequences between Sm NifA and Ec NifA showed that the N-terminal domain was the least similar, but this domain is indispensable for complementation of the Fix? phenotype of SmY by Sm NifA. We conclude that more than one domain is involved in determining functional differences between Sm NifA and Ec NifA.
文摘The NifA protein is the central regulator of the nitrogen fixation genes. It activates transcription of nif genes by an alternative holoenzyme form of RNA polymerase containing the σ54 factor. The NifA protein from Klebsiella pneumoniae consists of the N-terminal domain of unknown function, the central catalytic domain with ATPase activity and the C-terminal DNA-binding domain. The Kp NifA protein is sensitive to temperature, while the Enterobacter cloacae NifA protein is less sensitive to temperature than Kp NifA. Our results show that the N-terminal domain of NifA plays the decisive role in the temperature sensitivity of the protein.
基金the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2001CB108904)
文摘Azospirillum brasilense is a diazotroph associated with many important agricultural crops and shows potential as a biofertilizer. NifA, the transcriptional activator of nitrogen fixation (nif) genes, and GlnB, one of PII signal transduction family protein, are key proteins in the regulation of nitrogen fixation in A. brasilense. It was previously reported that the regulation of NifA activity in A. brasilense depends on GlnB. We report here that GlnB was found to interact directly with the N-terminal domain of NifA in vivo under nitrogen-free conditions and the N-terminal mutant of NifA in which the Tyr residues at position 18 and 53 were replaced by Phe (NifA-N-Y18/53F) strengthened the interaction with GlnB. Moreover, we also found that the amino acid residues 66―88 and 165―176 in N-terminus of NifA are responsible for the interaction with GlnB.
基金the Chinese Academy of Sciences and National High-Tech "863" Project of China
文摘In Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) NifA central domain, when theconservative amino acid residue Thr-290 in C3 region was replaced by Val, the function of NifA for activating the transcription of nif genes was lost. Thus the conservative Thr-290 residue seems critical for the activation function of NifA central domain. This point mutant of NifA central domain is used to examine the putative multimerization function of NifA central domain by merodiploid experiment. The results showed that the NifA central domain bore the multimerization determinants of NifA protein. A series of truncated mutants of NifA were constructed to determine the structural elements at the central domain critical for multimerization. It demonstrates that amino acid residues 252-453 are involved in the multimerization function of NifA central domain.
