The SLC5 / STAC proteins constitute a unique type of two-component system sensor in which the signaling (Histidine kinase) and transport (SCL5) domains are linked within the same polypeptide. In this project, our goal is to characterize the role of the recently discovered STAC domain, which connects the SLC5 substrate transport domain with a histidine kinase domain, in signal detection and transduction. Additionally, we seek to characterize the molecular and biological mechanisms of two-component system sensors that contain SLC5 and STAC domains, particularly we seek to determine if the transport of substrates through the SLC5 domain influences signal transduction. For this, we will work with the bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens and Sinorhizoboin fredii as a model and we will use a combination of genetic and biochemical strategies such as the construction of mutations and transcriptional fusions and the design, construction and analysis of chimeric proteins. This project will be carried out in collaboration with researchers from the Umea University,  University of Tübingen and the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology that will support us with infrastructure and material for overexpression, purification, crystallization and structural determination of proteins, for protein-substrate interaction tests. and to conduct transcriptomic and quantitative proteomics studies.