This domain appears to be ubiquitous in bacteria and is often linked to a regulatory domain, such as a phosphorylation receiver or oxygen sensing domain. Its function is to synthesize cyclic di-GMP, which is used as an intracellular signalling molecule in a wide variety of bacteria [(PUBMED:15075296),(PUBMED:15716451)]. Enzymatic activity can be strongly influenced by the adjacent domains. Processes regulated by this domain include exopolysaccharide synthesis, biofilm formation, motility and cell differentiation.
Structural studies of PleD from Caulobacter crescentus show that this domain forms a five-stranded beta sheet surrounded by helices, similar to the catalytic core of adenylate cyclase [(PUBMED:15569936)].
Family alignment:
There are 17410
GGDEF domains in 17318 proteins in SMART's nrdb database.
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Evolution (species in which this domain is found)
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This tree shows only several representative species. The complete taxonomic breakdown of all proteins with GGDEF domain is also avaliable.
Identification of a novel response regulator required for the swarmer-to-stalked-cell transition in Caulobacter crescentus.
J Bacteriol. 1995; 177: 6223-9
Display abstract
The onset of motility late in the Caulobacter crescentus cell cycle depends on a signal transduction pathway mediated by the histidine kinase PleC and response regulator DivK. We now show that pleD, whose function is required for the subsequent loss of motility and stalk formation by the motile swarmer cell, encodes a 454-residue protein with tandem N-terminal response regulator domains D1 and D2 and a novel C-terminal GGDEF domain. The identification of pleD301, a semidominant suppressor of the pleC Mot phenotype, as a mutation predicted to result in a D-53-->G change in the D1 domain supports a role for phosphorylation in the PleD regulator. Disruptions constructed in the pleD open reading frame demonstrated that the gene is not essential and that the pleC phenotype can also be suppressed by a recessive, loss-of-function mutation. These results suggest that PleD is part of a signal transduction pathway controlling stalked-cell differentiation early in the C. crescentus cell cycle.
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 GGDEF domain which could be assigned to a KEGG orthologous group, and not all proteins containing GGDEF domain. Please note that proteins can be included in multiple pathways, ie. the numbers above will not always add up to 100%.
to expand nodes. To display all proteins with a GGDEF domain in a specific node, click on it.
