Affiliations: Integrated Genomics Inc., Postbox 348, 117333, Moscow,
Russia | CXR Biosciences, James Lindsay Place, DD15JJ, Dundee
UK | Integrated Genomics Inc., 2201 W.Campbell Park Dr.,
Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Abstract: PhoH protein is a putative ATPase belonging to the phosphate regulon
in Escherichia coli. EC-PhoH homologs are present in different organisms, but
it is not clear if they are functionally related, besides nothing is known
about their regulation. To distinguish true functional orthologs of EC-PhoH in
different classes of bacteria and to identify their functional role in
bacterial metabolic network we performed phylogenetic analysis of these
proteins and comparative study of position and regulation of the related
genes. Three groups of proteins were identified. Proteins of the first group
(BS-PhoH orthologs) are present in most of bacteria and are proposed to be
functionally linked to phospholipid metabolism and RNA modification. Proteins
of the second group (BS-YlaK orthologs) are present in most of aerobes, and
Actinobacterial YlaK orthologs are shown to be members of a fatty acid
beta-oxidation regulons. EC-PhoH orthologs are classified in a third group,
specific for Enterobacteria. Functional role of PhoH homologs in the lipid and
RNA metabolism and proposed interrelation of PhoH paralogs in one organism are
discussed.
