Intramolecular rearrangements as a consequence of the dephosphorylation of phosphoaspartate residues in proteins.

Aspartate phosphorylation induces changes in protein conformation that are used to regulate processes ranging from gene expression and cell differentiation to cell motility and the generation of electrochemical gradients across membranes. We show here that dephosphorylation of the phosphoaspartate in the chemotaxis response regulator CheY can result in the loss of a water molecule that may be due to formation of a succinimide intermediate.