ProClaT, a new bioinformatics tool for in silico protein reclassification: case study of DraB, a protein coded from the draTGB operon in Azospirillum brasilense.

Journal: BMC bioinformatics
PMID:

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Azopirillum brasilense is a plant-growth promoting nitrogen-fixing bacteria that is used as bio-fertilizer in agriculture. Since nitrogen fixation has a high-energy demand, the reduction of N to NH by nitrogenase occurs only under limiting conditions of NH and O. Moreover, the synthesis and activity of nitrogenase is highly regulated to prevent energy waste. In A. brasilense nitrogenase activity is regulated by the products of draG and draT. The product of the draB gene, located downstream in the draTGB operon, may be involved in the regulation of nitrogenase activity by an, as yet, unknown mechanism.

Authors

  • Elisa Terumi Rubel
    Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Professional and Technological Education Sector, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
  • Roberto Tadeu Raittz
    Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Professional and Technological Education Sector, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
  • Nilson Antonio da Rocha Coimbra
    Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Professional and Technological Education Sector, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
  • Michelly Alves Coutinho Gehlen
    Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Professional and Technological Education Sector, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
  • Fábio de Oliveira Pedrosa
    Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. fpedrosa@ufpr.br.