The metNPQ operon of Bacillus subtilis encodes an ABC permease transporting methionine sulfoxide, d- and l-methionine

• Published in: Research in microbiology Vol. 155; no. 2; pp. 80 - 86
• Main Authors: Hullo, Marie-Françoise, Auger, Sandrine, Dassa, Elie, Danchin, Antoine, Martin-Verstraete, Isabelle
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Elsevier SAS 01.03.2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: ABC transporter; Adenosine Triphosphatases - metabolism; Amino Acid Transport Systems - genetics; Amino Acid Transport Systems - metabolism; ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters - genetics; ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters - metabolism; Bacillus subtilis; Bacillus subtilis - genetics; Bacillus subtilis - growth & development; Bacillus subtilis - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Escherichia coli Proteins - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics; Growth, nutrition, metabolism, transports, enzymes. Molecular biology; Life Sciences; Methionine; Methionine - analogs & derivatives; Methionine - metabolism; Microbiology; Mycology; Operon - genetics; S-box; Sulfur metabolism; Virology; Sulfur metabolism; Bacillus subtilis; ABC transporter; S-box; Methionine; Operon; Bacillaceae; Gene expression; Metabolism; Uptake; Bacillales; Gene; Antiseptic; Bacteria; Mutation; Carrier protein
• ISSN: 0923-2508; 1769-7123; 0923-2508
• DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2003.11.008

The Bacillus subtilis yusCBA operon, which encodes an ABC-type transporter, contains an S-box motif in its promoter region. We showed that the expression of these genes is repressed via the S-box system when methionine is available. The YusCB proteins are involved in the transport of both d- and l-methionine but also methionine sulfoxide. A yusCB mutant is unable to grow in the presence of 5 μM l-methionine or 100 μM methionine sulfoxide, while it grows similarly to the wild type with 100 μM l-methionine and 1 mM methionine sulfoxide. Other uptake systems are therefore present for these two compounds. In contrast, the Yus ABC transporter corresponds to the sole d-methionine uptake system. We propose to rename yusC, yusB and yusA as metN, metP and metQ, respectively.