TapA

• Description: required for the anchoring of the TasA amyloid fibers to the cell and for the initiation of fiber polymerization, minor fiber component

Gene name	tapA
Synonyms	yqhD, yqxM
Essential	no
Product	TasA anchoring/assembly protein
Function	biofilm formation
Gene expression levels in SubtiExpress: tapA
Interactions involving this protein in SubtInteract: TapA
Regulation of this protein in SubtiPathways: Biofilm, Protein secretion
MW, pI	28 kDa, 6.677
Gene length, protein length	759 bp, 253 aa
Immediate neighbours	sipW, yqzG
Get the DNA and protein sequences (Barbe et al., 2009)
Genetic context This image was kindly provided by SubtiList
Expression at a glance   PubMed

Categories containing this gene/protein

biofilm formation, membrane proteins

This gene is a member of the following regulons

AbrB regulon, SinR regulon

The gene

Basic information

• Locus tag: BSU24640

Phenotypes of a mutant

The mutants are able to form a biofilm in the presence of D-amino acids PubMed

Database entries

• DBTBS entry: [1]

• SubtiList entry: [2]

The protein

Basic information/ Evolution

• Catalyzed reaction/ biological activity:

• Protein family:

• Paralogous protein(s):

Extended information on the protein

• Kinetic information:

• Domains:

• Modification:

• Cofactor(s):

• Effectors of protein activity: D-amino acids lead to disappearance of TapA from the cell wall PubMed

• Interactions:
  • TapA-TasA PubMed
  • SipW-TapA PubMed

• Localization:
  • attached to the cell surface (on the outside of the cell), associated with peptidoglycan PubMed
  • secretion requires SipW PubMed

Database entries

• Structure:

• UniProt: P40949

• KEGG entry: [3]

• E.C. number:

Expression and regulation

• Operon: tapA-sipW-tasA PubMed

• Expression browser: tapA PubMed

• Sigma factor: SigA PubMed

• Regulation:
  • repressed by SinR PubMed
  • repressed during logrithmic growth (AbrB) PubMed

• Regulatory mechanism:
  • AbrB: transcription repression PubMed
  • SinR: transcription repression PubMed

• Additional information:
  • induction by sequestration of SinR by SinI or SlrA PubMed or by SlrR PubMed
  • the tapA-sipW-tasA operon is not expressed in a ymdB mutant PubMed
  • the amount of the mRNA is substantially decreased upon depletion of RNase Y (this is likely due to the increased stability of the sinR mRNA) PubMed

Biological materials

• Mutant:

• Expression vector:

• lacZ fusion: pGP1926 (in pAC6), available in Stülke lab

• GFP fusion:

• two-hybrid system:

• Antibody:

References

Original publications

Diethmaier C, Pietack N, Gunka K, Wrede C, Lehnik-Habrink M, Herzberg C, Hübner S, Stülke J  
A Novel Factor Controlling Bistability in Bacillus subtilis: The YmdB Protein Affects
Flagellin Expression and Biofilm Formation. 
J Bacteriol.: 2011, 193(21):5997-6007. 
PubMed:21856853

Lehnik-Habrink M, Schaffer M, Mäder U, Diethmaier C, Herzberg C, Stülke J  
RNA processing in Bacillus subtilis: identification of targets of the essential RNase Y. 
Mol Microbiol. 2011 81(6): 1459-1473. 
PubMed:21815947

Diego Romero, Hera Vlamakis, Richard Losick, Roberto Kolter
An accessory protein required for anchoring and assembly of amyloid fibres in B. subtilis biofilms.
Mol Microbiol: 2011, 80(5);1155-68
[PubMed:21477127] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Ilana Kolodkin-Gal, Diego Romero, Shugeng Cao, Jon Clardy, Roberto Kolter, Richard Losick
D-amino acids trigger biofilm disassembly.
Science: 2010, 328(5978);627-9
[PubMed:20431016] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Yunrong Chai, Thomas Norman, Roberto Kolter, Richard Losick
An epigenetic switch governing daughter cell separation in Bacillus subtilis.
Genes Dev: 2010, 24(8);754-65
[PubMed:20351052] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Daniel López, Hera Vlamakis, Richard Losick, Roberto Kolter
Paracrine signaling in a bacterium.
Genes Dev: 2009, 23(14);1631-8
[PubMed:19605685] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Kazuo Kobayashi
SlrR/SlrA controls the initiation of biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis.
Mol Microbiol: 2008, 69(6);1399-410
[PubMed:18647168] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Frances Chu, Daniel B Kearns, Anna McLoon, Yunrong Chai, Roberto Kolter, Richard Losick
A novel regulatory protein governing biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis.
Mol Microbiol: 2008, 68(5);1117-27
[PubMed:18430133] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I p)

Yunrong Chai, Frances Chu, Roberto Kolter, Richard Losick
Bistability and biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis.
Mol Microbiol: 2008, 67(2);254-63
[PubMed:18047568] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Mark A Strauch, Benjamin G Bobay, John Cavanagh, Fude Yao, Angelo Wilson, Yoann Le Breton
Abh and AbrB control of Bacillus subtilis antimicrobial gene expression.
J Bacteriol: 2007, 189(21);7720-32
[PubMed:17720793] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

Frances Chu, Daniel B Kearns, Steven S Branda, Roberto Kolter, Richard Losick
Targets of the master regulator of biofilm formation in Bacillus subtilis.
Mol Microbiol: 2006, 59(4);1216-28
[PubMed:16430695] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

A G Stöver, A Driks
Control of synthesis and secretion of the Bacillus subtilis protein YqxM.
J Bacteriol: 1999, 181(22);7065-9
[PubMed:10559173] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)

A G Stöver, A Driks
Regulation of synthesis of the Bacillus subtilis transition-phase, spore-associated antibacterial protein TasA.
J Bacteriol: 1999, 181(17);5476-81
[PubMed:10464223] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P p)