Title: Cell Cycle Coordination in <i>Caulobacter crescentus</i>
Abstract:In the bacterial cell cycle, the events of genetic segregation must be coordinated with those of cell division. In Caulobacter crescentus , the conserved proteins ParA and ParB interact with specific ...In the bacterial cell cycle, the events of genetic segregation must be coordinated with those of cell division. In Caulobacter crescentus , the conserved proteins ParA and ParB interact with specific DNA regions located around the origin of replication. Shortly after replication initiation, these proteins mediate shuttling of origin proximal regions to opposing ends of the dividing cell. The Caulobacter protein FtsZ, an essential tubulin homologue, dynamically appears at the midcell just prior to cell septation. Previous work has demonstrated that changes to the endogenous levels of either ParA or ParB have severe cell‐cycle defects, including mis‐localization of the FtsZ ring. Furthermore, FtsZ midcell localization coincides with ParA/ParB polar localization, though never precedes it. Using 90° angle light‐scattering to monitor FtsZ in vitro, we show that ParA is able to prevent formation of significant FtsZ polymers, suggesting that ParA has a direct inhibitory effect on FtsZ action. We hypothesize that cell septation is inhibited by the effect of ParA on FtsZ, since FtsZ cannot polymerize at the midcell until ParA is segregated to the poles. Funding is provided by the National Science Foundation.Read More
Publication Year: 2012
Publication Date: 2012-04-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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