Bacterial Signal Transduction Systems for Environmental Adaptation and Their Inhibitors

Abstract

Bacterial two-component signal transduction systems (TCSs) play a pivotal role in environmental adaptation. In this minireview, two TCSs in Escherichia coli are clarified: the PhoP/PhoQ system, which senses extracellular Mg2+ and controls the expression of the genes for adaptation to environmental Mg2+ deprivation (Mg2+ regulon); and EvgA/EvgS, a signal transduction system that activates expression of the drug efflux pump genes. Furthermore, based on the inhibition of YycF/YycG signal transduction in Bacillus subtilis, a novel strategy for developing a new class of antibacterial agents is described. © 2002, Japanese Society of Microbial Ecology & The Japanese Society of Soil Microbiology. All rights reserved.