The integrity of the periplasmic domain of the VirA sensor kinase is critical for optimal coordination of the virulence signal response in Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

The plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens responds to three main signals at the plant-bacterium interface: phenolics, such as acetosyringone (AS), monosaccharides, and acidic pH (∼5.5). These signals are transduced via the chromosomally encoded sugar binding protein ChvE and the Ti plasmid-encoded VirA/VirG two-component regulatory system, resulting in the transcriptional activation of the Ti plasmid virulence genes.