The ars (arsenical resistance) operon cloned from R-factor R773 has fi
ve genes that encode two repressor proteins, ArsR and ArsD, and three
structural proteins, ArsA, ArsB, and ArsC. The ArsA and ArsB proteins
form a membrane-bound pump that functions as an oxyanion-translocating
ATPase. The substrates of the pump are the oxyanions arsenite or anti
monite. The ArsC protein is an arsenate reductase that reduces arsenat
e to arsenite, which is subsequently pumped out of the cell. This revi
ew deals with the mechanism of transcriptional regulation by the ArsR
repressor and allosteric regulation of the ArsA protein, the catalytic
subunit of the pump. The chemical nature of the inducer plays an impo
rtant role in regulation. In solution arsenite or antimonite exist as
oxyanions and reacts with the cysteines in proteins. In both transcrip
tional regulation by the ArsR repressor and allosteric regulation of t
he ArsA ATPase, the ability of As(III) and Sb(III) to interact with th
e cysteines of the proteins, involves their action as effector.