Interaction of the cheC and cheZ gene products is required for chemotactic behavior in Escherichia coli.

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.76.5.2390
• Publication Date: 2006-05-31T07:58:49Z
• Authors: J S Parkinson; S R Parker
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; Bacterial Proteins; Flagella; Chemotaxis; Genes, Regulator; Escherichia coli; Alleles; Locomotion; 3. Good health

Previous work has shown that the cheC gene product of Escherichia coli plays a key role in regulating direction flagellar rotation during chemotactic responses. An attempt was made to identify other stimulus transduction elements interact with component by examining revertants for functional suppressors. Approximately two-thirds studied appeared be due back mutation or second-site mutations near within structural gene. The remainder carried suppressor mapped at cheZ locus. Half these suppressors impaired chemotaxis cheC+ background and were complementation analysis defective function. These corrected defects an allele-specific pattern, suggesting proteins are direct contact mutually corrective protein-protein interaction. Observation swimming patterns mutants demonstrated interaction two products influences both spontaneous frequency reversals ability rotational machinery respond stimuli. A model this its possible discussed.