军事科学院军事医学研究院,北京 100071
Tel:
国家自然科学基金(32270813)资助项目。
Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100071, China
This work was supported by a grant from The National Natural Science Foundation of China (32270813).
双组分系统(two-component system,TCS)是一种广泛存在于原核生物中的信号传递系统,其由组氨酸激酶(histidine kinase,HK)和反应调控蛋白(response regulator,RR)组成,在感知信号后通过自磷酸化和磷酸基团转移等过程实现信号的传递,这种信号传递过程能够确保细菌对外界刺激做出正确的响应,使得双组分系统在细菌感知与应答外界环境变化的过程中发挥重要作用。双组分系统具有多种功能,例如信号感知范围广、可编程性和具有鲁棒性等特点,基于双组分系统工程化构建的生物传感器已成功应用于光遗传学和环境监测等领域。本综述着重介绍了双组分系统的结构组成和信号转导机制,阐述了信号转导过程中的特异性和方向性,探讨了双组分系统应用于合成生物学中的鲁棒性和安全性等优势,以期通过合成生物学技术拓展基于双组分系统的生物传感器的种类和应用范围。
The two-component system (TCS) is a signaling mechanism extensively found in prokaryotes, playing a pivotal role in bacterial environmental sensing and adaptive responses. Comprising histidine kinase (HK) and response regulator (RR) components, TCS ensures appropriate bacterial reactions to various stimuli. Understanding its structural composition, signal transduction mechanisms, and applications in synthetic biology underscores its significance in both basic research and biotechnological applications. At its core, TCS operates through a sequence of events initiated by the detection of environmental cues. When the HK senses specific signals such as temperature changes, osmolarity shifts, or the presence of ligands, it undergoes autophosphorylation at a conserved histidine residue within its kinase domain. Subsequently, this phosphoryl group is transferred to a conserved aspartate residue on the RR’s receiver domain. This phosphotransfer event activates the RR, inducing a conformational change that alters its activity, often leading to changes in gene expression or other cellular responses. The specificity and fidelity of signal transduction in TCS are critical for bacteria to differentiate between various environmental cues and mount appropriate responses. This specificity is achieved through mechanisms such as unique signal molecule recognition by HKs and precise phosphotransfer from HKs to RRs. Moreover, the directional transfer of phosphoryl groups ensures tightly regulated signaling cascades, contributing to the overall robustness of bacterial response systems. Beyond its natural role, the versatility of TCS has been harnessed by engineers in synthetic biology to create tools like biosensors. By integrating TCS components into synthetic circuits, researchers can develop customized biosensors capable of highly sensitive and specific detection of environmental signals or biomolecules. These engineered biosensors find applications across diverse fields including environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, and industrial biotechnology. The robustness of TCS-driven biosensors is particularly advantageous in synthetic biology. The modular design of TCS allows for the construction of sensor systems sensitive to a broad range of signals, adaptable to different cellular contexts. This adaptability is crucial for optimizing sensor performance under varying conditions, ensuring reliable and reproducible results. Safety considerations are paramount in synthetic biology, where TCS-based systems offer inherent safety features due to their reliance on natural signaling pathways and components. Well-characterized interactions between HKs and RRs minimize risks such as unintended cross-talk or interference with endogenous cellular processes, enhancing reliability in bioengineering applications requiring predictable and controllable cellular responses. Looking ahead, ongoing research aims to expand the capabilities of TCS-based biosensors through innovative engineering approaches. Advances in synthetic biology techniques, including genome editing and high-throughput screening, facilitate rapid design and optimization of novel sensor systems. These efforts promise next-generation biosensors with enhanced functionalities such as multiplexed sensing and real-time monitoring in complex biological environments. In summary, the TCS stands as a cornerstone of bacterial signal transduction, facilitating precise environmental sensing and adaptive responses. Its structural simplicity, coupled with robust signaling mechanisms and programmability, underpins its utility in synthetic biology for developing advanced biosensors and other bioengineering applications. By leveraging these capabilities, researchers are poised to address critical challenges in healthcare, environmental sustainability, and industrial biotechnology, shaping the future of biologically inspired technologies.
罗博煜,滕越.细菌双组分系统结构特征及其信号转导机制[J].生物化学与生物物理进展,2025,52(3):640-653
复制生物化学与生物物理进展 ® 2025 版权所有 ICP:京ICP备05023138号-1 京公网安备 11010502031771号