Evidence of Robustness in a Two-Component System Using a Synthetic Circuit. 2020

Arkajyoti Dutta, and Paulami Rudra, and Suman Kumar Banik, and Jayanta Mukhopadhyay
Department of Chemistry, Bose Institute, Kolkata, India.

Variation in the concentration of biological components is inescapable for any cell. Robustness in any biological circuit acts as a cushion against such variation and enables the cells to produce homogeneous output despite the fluctuation. The two-component system (TCS) with a bifunctional sensor kinase (that possesses both kinase and phosphatase activities) is proposed to be a robust circuit. Few theoretical models explain the robustness of a TCS, although the criteria and extent of robustness by these models differ. Here, we provide experimental evidence to validate the extent of the robustness of a TCS signaling pathway. We have designed a synthetic circuit in Escherichia coli using a representative TCS of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, MprAB, and monitored the in vivo output signal by systematically varying the concentration of either of the components or both. We observed that the output of the TCS is robust if the concentration of MprA is above a threshold value. This observation is further substantiated by two in vitro assays, in which we estimated the phosphorylated MprA pool or MprA-dependent transcription yield by varying either of the components of the TCS. This synthetic circuit could be used as a model system to analyze the relationship among different components of gene regulatory networks.IMPORTANCE Robustness in essential biological circuits is an important feature of the living organism. A few pieces of evidence support the existence of robustness in vivo in the two-component system (TCS) with a bifunctional sensor kinase (SK). The assays were done under physiological conditions in which the SK was much lower than the response regulator (RR). Here, using a synthetic circuit, we varied the concentrations of the SK and RR of a representative TCS to monitor output robustness in vivo. In vitro assays were also performed under conditions where the concentration of the SK was greater than that of the RR. Our results demonstrate the extent of output robustness in the TCS signaling pathway with respect to the concentrations of the two components.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010766 Phosphorylation The introduction of a phosphoryl group into a compound through the formation of an ester bond between the compound and a phosphorus moiety. Phosphorylations
D011494 Protein Kinases A family of enzymes that catalyze the conversion of ATP and a protein to ADP and a phosphoprotein. Protein Kinase,Kinase, Protein,Kinases, Protein
D001426 Bacterial Proteins Proteins found in any species of bacterium. Bacterial Gene Products,Bacterial Gene Proteins,Gene Products, Bacterial,Bacterial Gene Product,Bacterial Gene Protein,Bacterial Protein,Gene Product, Bacterial,Gene Protein, Bacterial,Gene Proteins, Bacterial,Protein, Bacterial,Proteins, Bacterial
D014158 Transcription, Genetic The biosynthesis of RNA carried out on a template of DNA. The biosynthesis of DNA from an RNA template is called REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION. Genetic Transcription
D015398 Signal Transduction The intracellular transfer of information (biological activation/inhibition) through a signal pathway. In each signal transduction system, an activation/inhibition signal from a biologically active molecule (hormone, neurotransmitter) is mediated via the coupling of a receptor/enzyme to a second messenger system or to an ion channel. Signal transduction plays an important role in activating cellular functions, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation. Examples of signal transduction systems are the GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID-postsynaptic receptor-calcium ion channel system, the receptor-mediated T-cell activation pathway, and the receptor-mediated activation of phospholipases. Those coupled to membrane depolarization or intracellular release of calcium include the receptor-mediated activation of cytotoxic functions in granulocytes and the synaptic potentiation of protein kinase activation. Some signal transduction pathways may be part of larger signal transduction pathways; for example, protein kinase activation is part of the platelet activation signal pathway. Cell Signaling,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Pathways,Receptor Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Transduction Pathways,Signal Transduction Systems,Pathway, Signal,Pathway, Signal Transduction,Pathways, Signal,Pathways, Signal Transduction,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transductions,Signal Pathway,Signal Transduction Pathway,Signal Transduction System,Signal Transduction, Receptor-Mediated,Signal Transductions,Signal Transductions, Receptor-Mediated,System, Signal Transduction,Systems, Signal Transduction,Transduction, Signal,Transductions, Signal
D015964 Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial Any of the processes by which cytoplasmic or intercellular factors influence the differential control of gene action in bacteria. Bacterial Gene Expression Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression, Bacterial,Regulation, Gene Expression, Bacterial
D064251 Multifunctional Enzymes Molecules that contain multiple active sites which are used to catalyze more than one enzymatic reaction. Proteins in this class generally contain multiple active sites within a single peptide chain and may also contain more than one enzymatically active subunit. They are distinguished from MULTIENZYME COMPLEXES in that their subunits are not found as distinct enzymes. Multifunctional Enzyme,Enzyme, Multifunctional,Enzymes, Multifunctional

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