Identification of a site critical for kinase regulation on the central processing unit (CPU) helix of the aspartate receptor

Ligand binding to the homodimeric aspartate receptor of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium generates a transmembrane signal that regulates the activity of a cytoplasmic histidine kinase, thereby controlling cellular chemotaxis. This receptor also senses intracellular pH and ambient temperature and is covalently modified by an adaptation system. A specific helix in the cytoplasmic domain of the receptor, helix alpha 6, has been previously implicated in the processing of these multiple input signals. While the solvent-exposed face of helix alpha 6 possesses adaptive methylation sites known to play a role in kinase regulation, the functional significance of its buried face is less clear. This buried region lies at the subunit interface where helix alpha 6 packs against its symmetric partner, helix alpha 6'. To test the role of the helix alpha 6-helix alpha 6' interface in kinase regulation, the present study introduces a series of 13 side-chain substitutions at the Gly 278 position on the buried face of helix alpha 6. The substitutions are observed to dramatically alter receptor function in vivo and in vitro, yielding effects ranging from kinase superactivation (11 examples) to complete kinase inhibition (one example). Moreover, four hydrophobic, branched side chains (Val, Ile, Phe, and Trp) lock the kinase in the superactivated state regardless of whether the receptor is occupied by ligand. The observation that most side-chain substitutions at position 278 yield kinase superactivation, combined with evidence that such facile superactivation is rare at other receptor positions, identifies the buried Gly 278 residue as a regulatory hotspot where helix packing is tightly coupled to kinase regulation. Together, helix alpha 6 and its packing interactions function as a simple central processing unit (CPU) that senses multiple input signals, integrates these signals, and transmits the output to the signaling subdomain where the histidine kinase is bound. Analogous CPU elements may be found in other receptors and signaling proteins.