Bacteria Circuit Diagram (IMAGE)
Caption
Primary surface proteins reach out into the environment. When the paired surface proteins SspAB are present, processing enzymes cleave the proteins to produce peptides -- termed C-pep -- in the cell membrane. The peptides then dock with an intramembrane sensor protein (SGO_1180) that turns off a circuit allowing other adhesive protein genes to be expressed. When the SspAB proteins, for example, are missing, their C-peps are also absent from the cell membrane and cannot interact with the sensor protein SGO_1180. To maintain the ability to form biofilms and survive, the cell then expresses alternative adhesin genes (e.g. scaA).
Credit
Mark Herzberg
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