HutT functions as the major L ‐histidine transporter in Pseudomonas putida KT2440

Histidine is an important carbon and nitrogen source of γ-proteobacteria and can affect bacteria–host interactions. The mechanisms of histidine uptake are only partly understood. Here, we analyze functional properties of the putative histidine transporter HutT of the soil bacteriumPseudomonas  putida. ThehutT gene is part of the histidine utilization operon, and the gene product belongs to the amino acid-polyamine-organocation (APC) family of secondary transporters. Deletion ofhutT severely impairs growth ofP.  putida on histidine, suggesting that the encoded transporter is the major histidine uptake system ofP.  putida. Transport experiments with cells and purified and reconstituted protein indicate that HutT functions as a high-affinity histidine  : proton symporter with high specificity for the amino acid. Substitution analyses identified amino acids crucial for HutT function.

Source: FEBS Letters - August 23, 2021 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Larissa Wirtz, Michelle Eder, Anna ‐Katharina Brand, Heinrich Jung Tags: Research Article Source Type: research