Evidence that TraT interacts with OmpA of Escherichia coli

The OmpA protein is one of the major outer membrane proteins of Escherichia coli. Among other functions the protein serves as a receptor for several phages and increases the efficiency of F-mediated conjugation when present in recipient cells. TraT is an F-factor-coded outer membrane lipoprotein involved in surface exclusion, the mechanism by which E. coli strains carrying F-factors become poor recipients in conjugation. To determine a possible interaction of TraT with OmpA, the influence of TraT on phage binding to cells was measured. Because TraT inhibits inactivation of OmpA-specific phages it is suggested that TraT interacts directly with OmpA. Sequence homology of TraT with proteins 38, the phage proteins recognizing outer membrane proteins, supports this finding. A model of protein interactions is discussed.