Three Bacterial DedA Subfamilies with Distinct Functions and Phylogenetic Distribution

Abstract

DedA family proteins are highly conserved and nearly ubiquitous integral membrane proteins found in archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotes. Recent work revealed that eukaryotic DedA proteins are phospholipid scramblases and that some bacterial DedA proteins are undecaprenyl phosphate flippases. We performed a phylogenetic analysis of this protein family in bacteria that revealed 3 DedA subfamilies with distinct phylogenetic distributions, genomic contexts, and putative functions. Our bioinformatic analysis lays the groundwork for future experimental studies on the role of DedA proteins in maintaining and modifying the membrane.

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