How do bacteria sense and respond to their environment? This review provides a comprehensive overview of two-component signal transduction systems, a widespread mechanism in prokaryotes and some eukaryotic pathways. These systems involve a histidine protein kinase and a response regulator protein, which work together to detect and respond to environmental stimuli. The review elucidates the phosphotransfer scheme, where the histidine protein kinase autophosphorylates at a histidine residue, subsequently transferring the phosphoryl group to an aspartate residue in the response regulator. This phosphorylation event triggers a conformational change, activating a domain that mediates the response. Two-component systems are highly adaptable, allowing for optimization within specific signaling contexts. The modular nature of these proteins allows for versatile integration into diverse pathways, while maintaining core functions. Detailed analyses of representative proteins offer a foundation for understanding this extensive family of signaling proteins, providing insights into bacterial adaptation and survival. This review is of particular importance to those interested in the evolution of the cellular responses.
As a review published in Annual Review of Biochemistry, this article fits well within the journal’s scope of providing comprehensive and critical assessments of significant advances in biochemistry and molecular biology. The review on two-component signal transduction offers valuable insights for researchers in various fields.
| Category | Category Repetition |
|---|---|
| Science: Microbiology | 908 |
| Science: Biology (General) | 885 |
| Science: Chemistry: Organic chemistry: Biochemistry | 570 |
| Science: Biology (General): Genetics | 250 |
| Science: Science (General) | 234 |