MecA

• Description: buffering protein for development, dampens transitions to spore, biofilm exopolysaccharide and competence expression , targets ComK to ClpC-ClpP degradation machine (in log Phase), inhibits the transcriptional activity of Spo0A∼P by direct interaction
  
  

Gene name	mecA
Synonyms
Essential	no
Product	adaptor protein
Function	control of ComK degradation, regulation of competence
MW, pI	25 kDa, 4.209
Gene length, protein length	654 bp, 218 aa
Immediate neighbours	yjbE, coiA
Get the DNA and protein sequences (Barbe et al., 2009)
Genetic context This image was kindly provided by SubtiList

Categories containing this gene/protein

genetic competence, proteolysis

The gene

Basic information

• Locus tag: BSU11520

Database entries

• DBTBS entry: [1]

• SubtiList entry: [2]

The protein

Basic information/ Evolution

• Catalyzed reaction/ biological activity:

• Protein family: mecA family (according to Swiss-Prot)

• Paralogous protein(s): YpbH

Extended information on the protein

• Kinetic information:

• Domains:
  • N-terminal domain (1 ... 120): recruitment of protein substrates PubMed
  • C-terminal domain (121 ... 218): facilitates assembly of the ClpC-ClpP oligomer and acts as a degradation tag PubMed

• Modification:

• Cofactor(s):

• Effectors of protein activity:

• Interactions:
  • MecA-ComK PubMed
  • MecA-ComS PubMed
  • ClpC-MecA PubMed
  • MecA-Spo0A PubMed

• Localization:

Database entries

• Structure: 3JTP (C-terminal domain) PubMed

• UniProt: P37958

• KEGG entry: [3]

• E.C. number:

Expression and regulation

• Operon: mecA PubMed

• Sigma factor: SigA PubMed

• Regulation:

• Regulatory mechanism:

• Additional information:

Biological materials

• Mutant: GP813 (spc), GP814 (aphA3) both available in the Stülke lab

• Expression vector:

• lacZ fusion:

• GFP fusion:

• two-hybrid system:

• Antibody:

References

Original Publications

Additonal publications: PubMed

Feng Wang, Ziqing Mei, Yutao Qi, Chuangye Yan, Siheng Xiang, Zhiyuan Zhou, Qi Hu, Jiawei Wang, Yigong Shi
Crystal structure of the MecA degradation tag.
J Biol Chem: 2009, 284(49);34376-81
[PubMed:19801546] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Ziqing Mei, Feng Wang, Yutao Qi, Zhiyuan Zhou, Qi Hu, Han Li, Jiawei Wu, Yigong Shi
Molecular determinants of MecA as a degradation tag for the ClpCP protease.
J Biol Chem: 2009, 284(49);34366-75
[PubMed:19767395] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Douglas J Kojetin, Patrick D McLaughlin, Richele J Thompson, David Dubnau, Peter Prepiak, Mark Rance, John Cavanagh
Structural and motional contributions of the Bacillus subtilis ClpC N-domain to adaptor protein interactions.
J Mol Biol: 2009, 387(3);639-52
[PubMed:19361434] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Kassem Hamze, Daria Julkowska, Sabine Autret, Krzysztof Hinc, Krzysztofa Nagorska, Agnieszka Sekowska, I Barry Holland, Simone J Séror
Identification of genes required for different stages of dendritic swarming in Bacillus subtilis, with a novel role for phrC.
Microbiology (Reading): 2009, 155(Pt 2);398-412
[PubMed:19202088] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Peter Prepiak, David Dubnau
A peptide signal for adapter protein-mediated degradation by the AAA+ protease ClpCP.
Mol Cell: 2007, 26(5);639-47
[PubMed:17560370] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Michiko M Nakano, Shunji Nakano, Peter Zuber
Spx (YjbD), a negative effector of competence in Bacillus subtilis, enhances ClpC-MecA-ComK interaction.
Mol Microbiol: 2002, 44(5);1341-9
[PubMed:12028382] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Randy M Berka, Jeanette Hahn, Mark Albano, Irena Draskovic, Marjan Persuh, Xianju Cui, Alan Sloma, William Widner, David Dubnau
Microarray analysis of the Bacillus subtilis K-state: genome-wide expression changes dependent on ComK.
Mol Microbiol: 2002, 43(5);1331-45
[PubMed:11918817] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Marjan Persuh, Ines Mandic-Mulec, David Dubnau
A MecA paralog, YpbH, binds ClpC, affecting both competence and sporulation.
J Bacteriol: 2002, 184(8);2310-3
[PubMed:11914365] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

M M Nakano, F Hajarizadeh, Y Zhu, P Zuber
Loss-of-function mutations in yjbD result in ClpX- and ClpP-independent competence development of Bacillus subtilis.
Mol Microbiol: 2001, 42(2);383-94
[PubMed:11703662] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

M Persuh, K Turgay, I Mandic-Mulec, D Dubnau
The N- and C-terminal domains of MecA recognize different partners in the competence molecular switch.
Mol Microbiol: 1999, 33(4);886-94
[PubMed:10447896] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

M Ogura, L Liu, M Lacelle, M M Nakano, P Zuber
Mutational analysis of ComS: evidence for the interaction of ComS and MecA in the regulation of competence development in Bacillus subtilis.
Mol Microbiol: 1999, 32(4);799-812
[PubMed:10361283] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

K Turgay, J Hahn, J Burghoorn, D Dubnau
Competence in Bacillus subtilis is controlled by regulated proteolysis of a transcription factor.
EMBO J: 1998, 17(22);6730-8
[PubMed:9890793] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

T Msadek, V Dartois, F Kunst, M L Herbaud, F Denizot, G Rapoport
ClpP of Bacillus subtilis is required for competence development, motility, degradative enzyme synthesis, growth at high temperature and sporulation.
Mol Microbiol: 1998, 27(5);899-914
[PubMed:9535081] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

K Turgay, L W Hamoen, G Venema, D Dubnau
Biochemical characterization of a molecular switch involving the heat shock protein ClpC, which controls the activity of ComK, the competence transcription factor of Bacillus subtilis.
Genes Dev: 1997, 11(1);119-28
[PubMed:9000055] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

J Hahn, J Bylund, M Haines, M Higgins, D Dubnau
Inactivation of mecA prevents recovery from the competent state and interferes with cell division and the partitioning of nucleoids in Bacillus subtilis.
Mol Microbiol: 1995, 18(4);755-67
[PubMed:8817496] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

J Hahn, L Kong, D Dubnau
The regulation of competence transcription factor synthesis constitutes a critical control point in the regulation of competence in Bacillus subtilis.
J Bacteriol: 1994, 176(18);5753-61
[PubMed:8083167] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

L Kong, D Dubnau
Regulation of competence-specific gene expression by Mec-mediated protein-protein interaction in Bacillus subtilis.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A: 1994, 91(13);5793-7
[PubMed:8016067] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

T Msadek, F Kunst, G Rapoport
MecB of Bacillus subtilis, a member of the ClpC ATPase family, is a pleiotropic regulator controlling competence gene expression and growth at high temperature.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A: 1994, 91(13);5788-92
[PubMed:8016066] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

L Kong, K J Siranosian, A D Grossman, D Dubnau
Sequence and properties of mecA, a negative regulator of genetic competence in Bacillus subtilis.
Mol Microbiol: 1993, 9(2);365-73
[PubMed:8412687] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

M Roggiani, J Hahn, D Dubnau
Suppression of early competence mutations in Bacillus subtilis by mec mutations.
J Bacteriol: 1990, 172(7);4056-63
[PubMed:2113920] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)