This entry represents the ligand-binding domain found in a number of methyl-accepting chemotaxis receptors, such as E.coli Tar (taxis to aspartate and repellents), which is a receptor for the attractant L-aspartate [1,2] and also recognises proteogenic amino acids, phthalic acid, Malic acid, 3,4-dihydroxymandelic acid, citrate, benzoate and derivatives, protocatechuate, vanillate, quinate, shikimate and dehydroshikimate (Matilla et al., FEMS Microbiology Reviews, fuab043, 45, 2021, 1. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsre/fuab043).

1: Three-dimensional structures of the ligand-binding domain of the bacterial aspartate receptor with and without a ligand. Milburn MV, Prive GG, Milligan DL, Scott WG, Yeh J, Jancarik J, Koshland DE Jr, Kim SH; Science. 1991;254:1342-1347. PMID:1660187

2: Structural Analysis of the Ligand-Binding Domain of the Aspartate Receptor Tar from Escherichia coli. Mise T; Biochemistry. 2016;55:3708-3713. PMID:27292793