CHASE: an extracellular sensing domain common to transmembrane receptors from prokaryotes, lower eukaryotes and plants

A novel extracellular ligand-binding domain, termed CHASE, is described in sensory adenylyl and diguanylate cyclases, and histidine, kinases, in several bacterial species, Dictyostelium and plants. The CHASE domain is predicted to sense stimuli that are specific for the developmental program of an organism.