Rapid Screening of Bacterial Chemoeffectors of Pseudomonas parafulva Using a CheA ATPase Activity-Based Assay.

A rapid NADH-coupled CheA ATPase assay identified key chemoeffectors and receptor specificities in Pseudomonas parafulva with 4 attractants and receptor binding insights.

• Why it matters: Understanding which environmental signals bacteria detect is crucial for deciphering their chemotactic behavior, yet current methods are often slow and labor-intensive, limiting progress.
• What they did: The researchers developed a scalable, integrated screening pipeline combining the CheA ATPase assay, differential scanning fluorimetry, calorimetry, and structural modeling to analyze chemoreceptors in Pseudomonas parafulva.
• The result: This approach successfully identified L-malate, citrate, L-glutamine, and L-asparagine as chemoattractants and clarified receptor specificities, enabling systematic exploration of bacterial chemotactic responses.