Articles of Significant Interest in This Issue

Abstract

A small membrane protein of 47 amino acids, MgrB, impedes PhoQ sensor kinase activity, thereby affecting the expression of genes that regulate the virulence of pathogenic bacteria. Yadavalli et al. (e00305-20) identified specific amino acids in the cytoplasmic, membrane-spanning, and periplasmic regions of MgrB that are critical for the protein’s inhibitory function. They also found that the transmembrane region is important for MgrB/PhoQ interaction and appears to physically interact with other sensor proteins. This work provides insights into regulation by MgrB, one of many small proteins that were overlooked until recently.