The HAMP domain (present in Histidine kinases, Adenyl cyclases, Methyl-accepting proteins and Phosphatases) is an approximately 50-amino acid alpha-helical region. It is found in bacterial sensor and chemotaxis proteins and in eukaryotic histidine kinases. The bacterial proteins are usually integral membrane proteins and part of a two-component signal transduction pathway. One or several copies of the HAMP domain can be found in association with other domains, such as the histidine kinase domain, the bacterial chemotaxis sensory transducer domain, the PAS repeat, the EAL domain, the GGDEF domain, the protein phosphatase 2C-like domain, the guanylate cyclase domain, or the response regulatory domain. It has been suggested that the HAMP domain possesses a role of regulating the phosphorylation or methylation of homodimeric receptors by transmitting the conformational changes in periplasmic ligand-binding domains to cytoplasmic signalling kinase and methyl-acceptor domains [ (PUBMED:10418137) ].
The cytoplasmic helical linker domain of receptor histidine kinase and methyl-accepting proteins is common to many prokaryotic signalling proteins.
FEMS Microbiol Lett. 1999; 176: 111-6
Display abstract
Mutations in the cytoplasmic linker regions of receptor histidine kinase and chemoreceptor proteins have been shown previously to significantly impair receptor functions. Here we demonstrate significant sequence similarities between these regions in numerous histidine kinases, methyl-accepting proteins, adenylyl cyclases and other prokaryotic signalling proteins. It is suggested that these 'HAMP domains' possess roles of regulating the phosphorylation or methylation of homodimeric receptors by transmitting the conformational changes in periplasmic ligand-binding domains to cytoplasmic signalling kinase and methyl-acceptor domains.
Functional similarities among two-component sensors and methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins suggest a role for linker region amphipathic helices in transmembrane signal transduction.
Mol Microbiol. 1999; 33: 1093-102
Display abstract
Signal-responsive components of transmembrane signal-transducing regulatory systems include methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins and membrane-bound, two-component histidine kinases. Prokaryotes use these regulatory networks to channel environmental cues into adaptive responses. A typical network is highly discriminating, using a specific phosphoryl relay that connects particular signals to appropriate responses. Current understanding of transmembrane signal transduction includes periplasmic signal binding with the subsequent conformational changes being transduced, via transmembrane helix movements, into the sensory protein's cytoplasmic domain. These induced conformational changes bias the protein's regulatory function. Although the mutational analyses reviewed here identify a role for the linker region in transmembrane signal transduction, no specific mechanism of linker function has yet been described. We propose a speculative, mechanistic model for linker function based on interactions between two putative amphipathic helices. The model attempts to explain both mutant phenotypes and hybrid sensor data, while accounting for recognized features of amphipathic helices.
The recent rapid growth of protein sequence databases is outpacing the capacity of researchers to biochemically and structurally characterize new proteins. Accordingly, new methods for recognition of motifs and homologies in protein primary sequences may be useful in determining how these proteins might function. We have applied such a method, an iterative learning algorithm, to analyze possible coiled coil domains in histidine kinase receptors. The potential coiled coils have not yet been structurally characterized in any histidine kinase, and they appear outside previously noted kinase homology regions. The learning algorithm uses a combination of established sequence patterns in known coiled coil proteins and histidine kinase sequence data to learn to recognize efficiently this coiled coil-like motif in the histidine kinases. The common appearance of the structural motif in a functionally important part of the receptors suggests hypotheses for kinase regulation and signal transduction.
Metabolism (metabolic pathways involving proteins which contain this domain)
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This information is based on mapping of SMART genomic protein database to KEGG orthologous groups. Percentage points are related to the number of proteins with HAMP domain which could be assigned to a KEGG orthologous group, and not all proteins containing HAMP domain. Please note that proteins can be included in multiple pathways, ie. the numbers above will not always add up to 100%.
