Escherichia coli senses and signals anoxic or low redox conditions in its growth environment by the Arc two-component system. Under anaerobic conditions, the ArcB sensor kinase autophosphorylates and transphosphorylates ArcA, a global transcriptional regulator that controls the expression of numerous operons involved in respiratory or fermentative metabolism. Under aerobic conditions, the kinase activity of ArcB is inhibited by the quinone electron carriers that act as direct negative signals. Here, we show that the molecular mechanism of kinase silencing involves the oxidation of two cytosol-located redox-active cysteine residues that participate in intermolecular disulfide bond formation, a reaction in which the quinones provide the source of oxidative power. Thus, a pivotal link in the Arc signal transduction pathway connecting the redox state of the quinone pool to the transcriptional apparatus is elucidated.T wo-component signal transduction systems are widespread in prokaryotes and play extensive roles in adaptation to environmental changes (1, 2). The Arc (anoxic redox control) two-component system is an important element in the complex transcriptional regulatory network that allows facultative anaerobic bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, to sense various respiratory growth conditions and adapt their gene expression accordingly (3). This system comprises the cytoplasmic response regulator ArcA and the transmembrane sensor kinase ArcB (4, 5). ArcA is a typical response regulator possessing an N-terminal receiver domain with a conserved Asp residue at position 54 and a C-terminal helix-turn-helix DNA binding domain. In contrast, ArcB is an unorthodox sensor kinase as manifested by its unusually elaborate architecture. As a sensor, ArcB is deviant because in contrast to typical sensor kinases that have a substantial periplasmic domain for environmental sensing, ArcB has a very short periplasmic sequence of only 16 amino acid residues delimited by two canonical transmembrane segments. Interestingly, the ArcB transmembrane domain (amino acids 22-77) does not directly participate in signal sensing but rather serves as an anchor that keeps the protein close to the source of the signal (6). As a kinase, ArcB is atypical because it contains three catalytic domains: an N-terminal transmitter domain with a conserved His-292 residue, a central receiver domain with a conserved Asp-576 residue, and a C-terminal phosphotransfer domain with a conserved His-717 residue (5, 7). Moreover, in the linker that is the region connecting the catalytic domains with the transmembrane domain, there are a putative leucine zipper (8) and a Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain (9).Under reducing conditions, ArcB undergoes ATP-dependent autophosphorylation, a process shown to be enhanced by certain anaerobic metabolites such as D-lactate, acetate, and pyruvate (10, 11), and transphosphorylates ArcA via a His-292 3 Asp-576 3 His-717 3 Asp-54 phosphorelay (12, 13). Phosphorylated ArcA (ArcA-P), in turn, represses the expression of many operons invo...

The Arc two-component system is a complex signal transduction system that plays a key role in regulating energy metabolism at the level of transcription in bacteria. This system comprises the ArcB protein, a tripartite membrane-associated sensor kinase, and the ArcA protein, a typical response regulator. Under anoxic growth conditions, ArcB autophosphorylates and transphosphorylates ArcA, which in turn represses or activates the expression of its target operons. Under aerobic conditions, ArcB acts as a phosphatase that catalyzes the dephosphorylation of ArcA-P and thereby releasing its transcriptional regulation. The events for Arc signaling, including signal reception and kinase regulation, signal transmission, amplification, as well as signal output and decay are discussed.

Oxidative stress-associated endothelial dysfunction is a key pathogenic factor underlying the microvascular complications of metabolic disease. NADPH oxidase (Nox) is a major source of oxidative stress in diabetic nephropathy and chronic kidney disease, despite Nox4 and Nox2 have been identified as relevant sources of vasodilator endothelial H2O2.The present study was sought to investigate the role of Nox enzymes in renal vascular oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction in a rat model of genetic obesity. Endothelial function was assessed in intrarenal arteries of obese Zucker rats (OZR) and their counterparts lean Zucker rats (LZR) mounted in microvascular myographs, and superoxide (O2.-) and H2O2 production were measured. Impaired endothelium-dependent relaxations to acetylcholine (ACh) were associated to augmented O2.- generation, but neither ROS scavengers nor the Nox inhibitor apocynin significantly improved these relaxant responses in renal arteries of OZR. Whereas NO contribution to endothelial relaxations was blunted, catalase-sensitive non-NO non-prostanoid relaxations were enhanced in obese rats. Interestingly, NADPH–dependent O2.- production was augmented while NADPH-dependent H2O2 generation was reduced, and cytosolic and mitochondrial SOD were up-regulated in kidney of obese rats. Nox4 was down-regulated in renal arteries and Nox4-dependent H2O2 generation and endothelial relaxation were reduced in OZR. Up-regulation of both Nox2 and Nox1 was associated with augmented O2.- production but reduced H2O2 generation and blunted endothelial Nox2-derived H2O2-mediated in obese rats. Moreover, increased Nox1-derived O2.- contributed to renal endothelial dysfunction in OZR. In summary, the current data support a main role for Nox1-derived O2.- in kidney vascular oxidative stress and renal endothelial dysfunction in obesity, while reduced endothelial Nox4 expression associated to decreased H2O2 generation and H2O2–mediated vasodilatation might hinder Nox4 protective renal effects thus contributing to kidney injury. This suggests that effective therapies to counteract oxidative stress and prevent microvascular complications must identify the specific Nox subunits involved in metabolic disease.

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