Bacillus subtilis and related bacilli produce a posttranslationally modified oligopeptide, the ComX pheromone, that stimulates natural genetic competence controlled by quorum sensing. The ComXRO-C-2 pheromone from strain RO-C-2 must be modified with a farnesyl group on the Trp residue, but the precise structure is not known. Here we report the precise nature of posttranslational farnesylation of ComXRO-C-2 pheromone on the Trp residue, resulting in the formation of a tricyclic structure. The ComX168 pheromone, produced by the standard laboratory strain used in the study of B. subtilis, is also posttranslationally farnesylated according to phylogenetic resemblance.
枯草芽孢杆菌和相关杆菌产生一种翻译后修饰的寡肽,即ComX信息素,可刺激受群体感应控制的天然遗传能力。来自RO-C-2菌株的ComXRO-C-2信息素必须在色
氨酸残基上用法呢基修饰,但确切的结构尚不清楚。在此,我们报告了ComXRO-C-2信息素在色
氨酸残基上翻译后法呢基化的确切性质,其结果是形成
三环结构。根据系统发育的相似性,在研究
枯草芽孢杆菌时使用的标准实验室菌株产生的ComX168信息素也是翻译后法呢基化的。