Epulopiscium sp. Type B is a large aquatic bacterium that resides in the gut of surgeonfish. From genomic data, Epulopiscium (Epulo) is predicted to have a chemotactic sensory and motility system similar to Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Our experiments are designed to test the protein-protein interactions between methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs) and the Che proteins, CheA (a sensory kinase) and CheW (an adaptor protein), through the use of a yeast-2-hybrid (Y2H) assay. We hypothesize based on genetic homology that Epulo chemotaxis proteins will behave in a similar fashion to their orthologs in B.subtilis and E.coli. The Y2H tests protein-protein interactions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Preliminary results detected an interaction between CheA and CheW. Other interactions have not yet been detected; possibly because CheW seems to be toxic to yeast. Alternatively, a CheA+CheW+MCP ternary complex might be necessary for MCP binding. Further research to explore these possibilities is ongoing.

Investigation of chemotaxis protein-protein interactions in Epulopiscium sp. type B using a yeast two hybrid system

245th National Meeting (2013)

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