The C 4 -dicarboxylate sensor kinase DcuS is membrane integral because of the transmembrane (TM) helices TM1 and TM2. Fumarate-induced movement of the helices was probed in vivo by Cys accessibility scanning at the membrane-water interfaces after activation of DcuS by fumarate at the periplasmic binding site. TM1 was inserted with amino acid residues 21-41 in the membrane in both the fumarate-activated (ON) and inactive (OFF) states. In contrast, TM2 was inserted with residues 181-201 in the OFF state and residues 185-205 in the ON state. Replacement of Trp 185 by an Arg residue caused displacement of TM2 toward the outside of the membrane and a concomitant induction of the ON state. Results from Cys cross-linking of TM2/TM2′ in the DcuS homodimer excluded rotation; thus, data from accessibility changes of TM2 upon activation, either by ligand binding or by mutation of TM2, and cross-linking of TM2 and the connected region in the periplasm suggest a piston-type shift of TM2 by four residues to the periplasm upon activation (or fumarate binding). This mode of function is supported by the suggestion from energetic calculations of two preferred positions for TM2 insertion in the membrane. The shift of TM2 by four residues (or 4-6 Å) toward the periplasm upon activation is complementary to the periplasmic displacement of 3-4 Å of the C-terminal part of the periplasmic ligand-binding domain upon ligand occupancy in the citrate-binding domain in the homologous CitA sensor kinase.DcuS sensor kinase | transmembrane signaling | bacteria | piston-type | SCAM T wo-component systems consisting of a sensor kinase and a response regulator are the most versatile sensors for the bacterial response to environmental stimuli (1). The minimal version of sensor kinases consists of a sensory and a transmitter domain, including the kinase domain (2). Membrane-embedded sensor kinases require additional domains for the transfer of the signal across the membrane (transmembrane signaling). Although sensing and kinase reactions and domains are known in some detail, transmembrane signaling is mostly unknown, and mechanisms have been inferred primarily from structural analysis of the extracytoplasmic-binding domains (3-5).The C 4 -dicarboxylate sensor (DcuS) kinase belongs to the twocomponent DcuS-C 4 -dicarboxylate response (DcuR) system that responds to C 4 -dicarboxylates and related di-anions (6-8). DcuS consists of an extracytoplasmic (or periplasmic) sensory Per-ARNTSim (PAS P ) or PDC (PhoQ-DcuS-CitA) domain that is anchored to the membrane by transmembrane (TM) helices TM1 and TM2, a cytoplasmic PAS (PAS C ) domain, and the C-terminal kinase (3,(8)(9)(10). Effector binding by PAS P has been characterized for DcuS and the closely related citrate sensor kinase (CitA) (3,8,10,11), but transmembrane signaling has not yet been studied. However, structural changes in the periplasmic binding sites of DcuS and CitA suggest the mode of transmembrane signal transduction by this type of sensor. The effector domain PAS P of CitA is compacted upo...

The membrane-integral sensor kinase DcuS of Escherichia coli consists of a periplasmically located sensory PAS(P) domain, transmembrane helices TM1 and TM2, a cytoplasmic PAS(C) domain and the kinase domain. Stimulus (C(4)-dicarboxylate) binding at PAS(P) is required to stimulate phosphorylation of the kinase domain, resulting in phosphoryl transfer to the response regulator DcuR. PAS(C) functions as a signaling device or a relay in signal transfer from TM2 to the kinase. Phosphorylated DcuR induces the expression of the target genes. Sensing by DcuS requires the presence of the C(4)-dicarboxylate transporter DctA during aerobic growth. DctA forms a sensor unit with DcuS, and a short C-terminal sequence of DctA forming the putative helix 8b is required for interaction with DcuS. Helix 8b contains a LDXXXLXXXL motif that is essential for function and interaction. DcuS requires the PAS(C) domain for signal perception from DctA. Thus, DcuS and DctA form a DctA/DcuS sensory unit, and DcuS perceives stimuli from two different sites (PAS(P) and DctA). The signal transfer pathways are supposed to merge at PAS(C). The fumarate/succinate antiporter DcuB takes over the role as a co-sensor of DcuS under anaerobic growth conditions.

The cytoplasmic PASC domain of the fumarate responsive sensor kinase DcuS of Escherichia coli links the transmembrane to the kinase domain. PASC is also required for interaction with the transporter DctA serving as a cosensor of DcuS. Earlier studies suggested that PASC functions as a hinge and transmits the signal to the kinase. Reorganizing the PASC dimer interaction and, independently, removal of DctA, converts DcuS to the constitutive ON state (active without fumarate stimulation). ON mutants were categorized with respect to these two biophysical interactions and the functional state of DcuS: type I-ON mutations grossly reorganize the homodimer, and decrease interaction with DctA. Type IIA-ON mutations create the ON state without grossly reorganizing the homodimer, whereas interaction with DctA is decreased. The type IIB-ON mutations were neither in PASC/PASC, nor in DctA/DcuS interaction affected, similar to fumarate activated wild-typic DcuS. OFF mutations never affected dimer stability. The ON mutations provide novel mechanistic insight: PASC dimerization is essential to silence the kinase. Reorganizing the homodimer and its interaction with DctA activate the kinase. The study suggests a novel ON homo-dimer conformation (type IIB) and an OFF conformation for PASC. Type IIB-ON corresponds to the fumarate induced wild-type conformation, representing an interesting target for structural biology.

The sensor kinase DcuS of Escherichia coli co-operates under aerobic conditions with the C -dicarboxylate transporter DctA to form the DctA/DcuS sensor complex. Under anaerobic conditions C -dicarboxylate transport in fumarate respiration is catalyzed by C -dicarboxylate/fumarate antiporter DcuB. (i) DcuB interacted with DcuS as demonstrated by a bacterial two-hybrid system (BACTH) and by co-chromatography of the solubilized membrane-proteins (mHPINE assay). (ii) In the DcuB/DcuS complex only DcuS served as the sensor since mutations in the substrate site of DcuS changed substrate specificity of sensing, and substrates maleate or 3-nitropropionate induced DcuS response without affecting the fumarate site of DcuB. (iii) The half-maximal concentration for induction of DcuS by fumarate (1 to 2 mM) and the corresponding K for transport (50 µM) differ by a factor of 20 to 40. Therefore, the fumarate sites are different in transport and sensing. (iv) Increasing levels of DcuB converted DcuS from the permanent ON (DcuB deficient) state to the fumarate responsive form. Overall, the data show that DcuS and DcuB form a DcuB/DcuS complex representing the C -dicarboxylate responsive form, and that the sensory site of the complex is located in DcuS whereas DcuB is required for converting DcuS to the sensory competent state.

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