Phototactic and Chemotactic Signal Transduction by Transmembrane Receptors and Transducers in Microorganisms

Sensors

Daisuke Suzuki¹  Hiroki Irieda¹  Michio Homma¹  Ikuro Kawagishi² 

[1] Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8602, Japan; E-Mails:;Department of Frontier Bioscience, Hosei University, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8584, Japan; E-Mail:

关键词: phototaxis;    chemotaxis;    transducer;    signal transduction;    rhodopsin;   

DOI  :  10.3390/s100404010

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Microorganisms show attractant and repellent responses to survive in the various environments in which they live. Those phototaxic (to light) and chemotaxic (to chemicals) responses are regulated by membrane-embedded receptors and transducers. This article reviews the following: (1) the signal relay mechanisms by two photoreceptors, Sensory Rhodopsin I (SRI) and Sensory Rhodopsin II (SRII) and their transducers (HtrI and HtrII) responsible for phototaxis in microorganisms; and (2) the signal relay mechanism of a chemoreceptor/transducer protein, Tar, responsible for chemotaxis in E. coli. Based on results mainly obtained by our group together with other findings, the possible molecular mechanisms for phototaxis and chemotaxis are discussed.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2010 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.