The GacS-GacA two-component regulatory system of Pseudomonas fluorescens: a bacterial two-hybrid analysis

The two-component regulatory system comprised of the sensor kinase, GacS, and its response regulator, GacA, is involved in regulation of secondary metabolism and many other aspects of bacterial physiology. Although it is known that the sensor kinases RetS and LadS feed into the GacS/GacA system, the mechanism through which this occurs is unknown, as are the protein-protein interactions in this system. To characterize and define these interactions, we utilized a bacterial two-hybrid system to study the interactions of GacS and GacA from Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0. Domains of GacA and GacS, identified through bioinformatics, were subcloned and their ability to interact in vivo was investigated. We found that the entire GacA molecule is required for GacA to interact with itself or GacS. Furthermore, the HisKA/HATPase/REC domains of GacS together are responsible for GacS interacting with GacA, while the HAMP domain of GacS is responsible for GacS interacting with itself. In addition, homologs of Pseudomonas aeruginosa hybrid sensor kinases, RetS and LadS, were identified in P. fluorescens, and shown to interact with GacS, but not GacA.