EctA
ectA is a gene name used in bacteria to denote one component of the ectoine biosynthesis gene cluster, commonly found alongside ectB and ectC. Ectoine is a compatible solute produced by many marine and halophilic bacteria to protect cellular processes under osmotic stress. The ectA gene is typically part of operons that coordinate the production of ectoine in response to high salinity or other stress conditions.
In the archetypal ectoine biosynthesis pathway, ectA encodes an enzyme believed to catalyze an acetylation step
Genomic organization and regulation
EctA is usually co-located with ectB and ectC in an operon or gene cluster dedicated to ectoine
Biochemical properties and significance
EctA proteins are typically cytosolic and of modest size. Biochemical studies aim to define substrate specificity,