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Muchová K, Pospíšil J, Kalocsaiová E, Chromiková Z, Žarnovičanová S, Šanderová H, Krásný L, Barák I. Spatio-temporal control of asymmetric septum positioning during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107339. [PMID: 38705388 PMCID: PMC11154705 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
During sporulation, Bacillus subtilis forms an asymmetric septum, dividing the cell into two compartments, a mother cell and a forespore. The site of asymmetric septation is linked to the membrane where FtsZ and SpoIIE initiate the formation of the Z-ring and the E-ring, respectively. These rings then serve as a scaffold for the other cell division and peptidoglycan synthesizing proteins needed to build the septum. However, despite decades of research, not enough is known about how the asymmetric septation site is determined. Here, we identified and characterized the interaction between SpoIIE and RefZ. We show that these two proteins transiently colocalize during the early stages of asymmetric septum formation when RefZ localizes primarily from the mother cell side of the septum. We propose that these proteins and their interplay with the spatial organization of the chromosome play a role in controlling asymmetric septum positioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarína Muchová
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jiří Pospíšil
- Laboratory of Microbial Genetics and Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Evelína Kalocsaiová
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Zuzana Chromiková
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Silvia Žarnovičanová
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Hana Šanderová
- Laboratory of Microbial Genetics and Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Libor Krásný
- Laboratory of Microbial Genetics and Gene Expression, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Imrich Barák
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
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2
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Letzkus M, Trela C, Mera PE. Three factors ParA, TipN, and DnaA-mediated chromosome replication initiation are contributors of centromere segregation in Caulobacter crescentus. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar68. [PMID: 38568781 PMCID: PMC11151105 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-12-0503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability of bacteria to maintain chromosomal integrity throughout their life cycle is crucial for survival. In Caulobacter crescentus, the polar factor TipN has been proposed to be involved with the partitioning system ParABS. Cells with tipN knocked out display subtle segregation defects of the centromere-like region parS. We hypothesized that TipN's role with parS segregation is obscured by other forces that are ParABS-independent. To test our hypothesis, we removed one of those forces - chromosome replication - and analyzed the role of TipN with ParA. We first confirm that ParA retains its ability to transport the centromeric region parS from the stalked pole to the opposite pole in the absence of chromosome replication. Our data revealed that in the absence of chromosome replication, TipN becomes essential for ParA's ability to transport parS. Furthermore, we identify a potential connection between the replication initiator DnaA and TipN. Although TipN is not essential for viability, tipN knockout cells lose viability when the regulation of DnaA levels is altered. Our data suggest that the DnaA-dependent susceptibility of tipN knockout cells is connected to parS segregation. Collectively, this work provides insights into the complex regulation involved in the coordination of chromosome replication and segregation in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Letzkus
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Corey Trela
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | - Paola E. Mera
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
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3
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Tulin G, Figueroa NR, Checa SK, Soncini FC. The multifarious MerR family of transcriptional regulators. Mol Microbiol 2024; 121:230-242. [PMID: 38105009 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The MerR family of transcriptional regulators includes a variety of bacterial cytoplasmic proteins that respond to a wide range of signals, including toxins, metal ions, and endogenous metabolites. Its best-characterized members share similar structural and functional features with the family founder, the mercury sensor MerR, although most of them do not respond to metal ions. The group of "canonical" MerR homologs displays common molecular mechanisms for controlling the transcriptional activation of their target genes in response to inducer signals. This includes the recognition of distinctive operator sequences located at suboptimal σ70 -dependent promoters. Interestingly, an increasing number of proteins assigned to the MerR family based on their DNA-binding domain do not match in structure, sequence, or mode of action with any of the canonical MerR-like regulators. Here, we analyzed several members of the family, including this last group. Based on a phylogenetic analysis, and similarities in structural/functional features and position of their target operators relative to the promoter elements, we propose to assign these "atypical/divergent" MerR regulators to a phylogenetically separated group. These atypical/divergent homologs represent a new class of transcriptional regulators with novel regulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Tulin
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Nicolás R Figueroa
- Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Susana K Checa
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Fernando C Soncini
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rosario, Argentina
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4
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Serrano M, Martins D, Henriques AO. Clostridioides difficile Sporulation. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2024; 1435:273-314. [PMID: 38175480 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-42108-2_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Some members of the Firmicutes phylum, including many members of the human gut microbiota, are able to differentiate a dormant and highly resistant cell type, the endospore (hereinafter spore for simplicity). Spore-formers can colonize virtually any habitat and, because of their resistance to a wide variety of physical and chemical insults, spores can remain viable in the environment for long periods of time. In the anaerobic enteric pathogen Clostridioides difficile the aetiologic agent is the oxygen-resistant spore, while the toxins produced by actively growing cells are the main cause of the disease symptoms. Here, we review the regulatory circuits that govern entry into sporulation. We also cover the role of spores in the infectious cycle of C. difficile in relation to spore structure and function and the main control points along spore morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Serrano
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Oeiras, Portugal.
| | - Diogo Martins
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Adriano O Henriques
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Oeiras, Portugal
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5
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Letzkus M, Trela C, Mera PE. TipN's involvement with centromere segregation in Caulobacter crescentus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.20.572679. [PMID: 38187783 PMCID: PMC10769339 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.20.572679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria's ability to maintain chromosomal integrity throughout their life cycle is crucial for their survival. In Caulobacter crescentus, the polar factor TipN has been proposed to be involved with the partitioning system ParABS. However, cells with tipN knocked out display subtle parS segregation defects. We hypothesized that TipN's role with parS segregation is obscured by other forces that are ParABS-independent. To test our hypothesis, we removed one of those forces - chromosome replication - and analyzed the role of TipN with ParA. We first demonstrate that ParA retains its ability to transport the centromeric region parS from the stalked pole to the opposite pole in the absence of chromosome replication. Our data revealed that in the absence of chromosome replication, TipN becomes essential for ParA's ability to transport parS. Furthermore, we identify a potential connection between the replication initiator DnaA and TipN. Although TipN is not essential for viability, tipN knockout cells lose viability when the regulation of DnaA levels is altered. Our data suggest that the DnaA-dependent susceptibility of tipN knockout cells is connected to parS segregation. Collectively, this work provides insights into the complex regulation involved in the coordination of chromosome replication and segregation in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Letzkus
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Corey Trela
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Paola E. Mera
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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6
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Siguier P, Campos M, Cornet F, Bouet JY, Guynet C. Atypical low-copy number plasmid segregation systems, all in one? Plasmid 2023; 127:102694. [PMID: 37301314 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2023.102694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Plasmid families harbor different maintenances functions, depending on their size and copy number. Low copy number plasmids rely on active partition systems, organizing a partition complex at specific centromere sites that is actively positioned using NTPase proteins. Some low copy number plasmids lack an active partition system, but carry atypical intracellular positioning systems using a single protein that binds to the centromere site but without an associated NTPase. These systems have been studied in the case of the Escherichia coli R388 and of the Staphylococcus aureus pSK1 plasmids. Here we review these two systems, which appear to be unrelated but share common features, such as their distribution on plasmids of medium size and copy number, certain activities of their centromere-binding proteins, StbA and Par, respectively, as well as their mode of action, which may involve dynamic interactions with the nucleoid-packed chromosome of their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Siguier
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse F-31000, France
| | - Manuel Campos
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse F-31000, France
| | - François Cornet
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse F-31000, France
| | - Jean-Yves Bouet
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse F-31000, France
| | - Catherine Guynet
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Génétique Moléculaires, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse F-31000, France.
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7
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Roberts DM. A new role for monomeric ParA/Soj in chromosome dynamics in Bacillus subtilis. Microbiologyopen 2023; 12:e1344. [PMID: 36825885 PMCID: PMC9841721 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
ParABS (Soj-Spo0J) systems were initially implicated in plasmid and chromosome segregation in bacteria. However, it is now increasingly understood that they play multiple roles in cell cycle events in Bacillus subtilis, and possibly other bacteria. In a recent study, monomeric forms of ParA/Soj have been implicated in regulating aspects of chromosome dynamics during B. subtilis sporulation. In this commentary, I will discuss the known roles of ParABS systems, explore why sporulation is a valuable model for studying these proteins, and the new insights into the role of monomeric ParA/Soj. Finally, I will touch upon some of the future work that remains.
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8
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Roberts DM, Anchimiuk A, Kloosterman TG, Murray H, Wu LJ, Gruber S, Errington J. Chromosome remodelling by SMC/Condensin in B. subtilis is regulated by monomeric Soj/ParA during growth and sporulation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2204042119. [PMID: 36206370 PMCID: PMC9564211 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2204042119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
SMC complexes, loaded at ParB-parS sites, are key mediators of chromosome organization in bacteria. ParA/Soj proteins interact with ParB/Spo0J in a pathway involving adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent dimerization and DNA binding, facilitating chromosome segregation in bacteria. In Bacillus subtilis, ParA/Soj also regulates DNA replication initiation and along with ParB/Spo0J is involved in cell cycle changes during endospore formation. The first morphological stage in sporulation is the formation of an elongated chromosome structure called an axial filament. Here, we show that a major redistribution of SMC complexes drives axial filament formation in a process regulated by ParA/Soj. Furthermore, and unexpectedly, this regulation is dependent on monomeric forms of ParA/Soj that cannot bind DNA or hydrolyze ATP. These results reveal additional roles for ParA/Soj proteins in the regulation of SMC dynamics in bacteria and yet further complexity in the web of interactions involving chromosome replication, segregation and organization, controlled by ParAB and SMC.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M. Roberts
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Anchimiuk
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Bâtiment Biophore, 015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Tomas G. Kloosterman
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, United Kingdom
| | - Heath Murray
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, United Kingdom
| | - Ling Juan Wu
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, United Kingdom
| | - Stephan Gruber
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Bâtiment Biophore, 015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jeff Errington
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, United Kingdom
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9
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Molecular Analysis of pSK1 par: A Novel Plasmid Partitioning System Encoded by Staphylococcal Multiresistance Plasmids. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167770. [PMID: 35907571 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The segregation of prokaryotic plasmids typically requires a centromere-like site and two proteins, a centromere-binding protein (CBP) and an NTPase. By contrast, a single 245 residue Par protein mediates partition of the prototypical staphylococcal multiresistance plasmid pSK1 in the absence of an identifiable NTPase component. To gain insight into centromere binding by pSK1 Par and its segregation function we performed structural, biochemical and in vivo studies. Here we show that pSK1 Par binds a centromere consisting of seven repeat elements. We demonstrate this Par-centromere interaction also mediates Par autoregulation. To elucidate the Par centromere binding mechanism, we obtained a structure of the Par N-terminal DNA-binding domain bound to centromere DNA to 2.25 Å. The pSK1 Par structure, which harbors a winged-helix-turn-helix (wHTH), is distinct from other plasmid CBP structures but shows homology to the B. subtilis chromosome segregation protein, RacA. Biochemical studies suggest the region C-terminal to the Par wHTH forms coiled coils and mediates oligomerization. Fluorescence microscopy analyses show that pSK1 Par enhances the separation of plasmids from clusters, driving effective segregation upon cell division. Combined the data provide insight into the molecular properties of a single protein partition system.
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10
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Abstract
Many pathogens or symbionts of animals and plants contain multiple replicons, a configuration called a multipartite genome. Multipartite genomes enable those species to replicate their genomes faster and better adapt to new niches. Despite their prevalence, the mechanisms by which multipartite genomes are stably maintained are poorly understood. Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a plant pathogen that contains four replicons: a circular chromosome (Ch1), a linear chromosome (Ch2), and two large plasmids. Recent work indicates that their replication origins are clustered at the cell poles in a manner that depends on their ParB family centromeric proteins: ParB1 for Ch1 and individual RepB paralogs for Ch2 and the plasmids. However, understanding of these interactions and how they contribute to genome maintenance is limited. By combining genome-wide chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) assays, chromatin-immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq), and live cell fluorescence microscopy, we provide evidence here that centromeric clustering is mediated by interactions between these centromeric proteins. We further show that the disruption of centromere clustering results in the loss of replicons. Our data establish the role of centromeric clustering in multipartite genome stability. IMPORTANCE About 10% of sequenced bacteria have multiple replicons, also known as multipartite genomes. How these multipartite genomes are maintained is still poorly understood. Here, we use Agrobacterium tumefaciens as a model and show that the replication origins of the four replicons are clustered through direct interactions between the centromeric proteins; disruption of origin clustering leads to the loss of replicons. Thus, our study provided evidence that centromeric clustering is important for maintaining multipartite genomes.
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Ramos-León F, Ramamurthi K. Cytoskeletal proteins: Lessons learned from bacteria. Phys Biol 2022; 19. [PMID: 35081523 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/ac4ef0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Cytoskeletal proteins are classified as a group that is defined functionally, whose members are capable of polymerizing into higher order structures, either dynamically or statically, to perform structural roles during a variety of cellular processes. In eukaryotes, the most well-studied cytoskeletal proteins are actin, tubulin, and intermediate filaments, and are essential for cell shape and movement, chromosome segregation, and intracellular cargo transport. Prokaryotes often harbor homologs of these proteins, but in bacterial cells, these homologs are usually not employed in roles that can be strictly defined as "cytoskeletal". However, several bacteria encode other proteins capable of polymerizing which, although they do not appear to have a eukaryotic counterpart, nonetheless appear to perform a more traditional "cytoskeletal" function. In this review, we discuss recent reports that cover the structure and functions of prokaryotic proteins that are broadly termed as cytoskeletal, either by sequence homology or by function, to highlight how the enzymatic properties of traditionally studied cytoskeletal proteins may be used for other types of cellular functions; and to demonstrate how truly "cytoskeletal" functions may be performed by uniquely bacterial proteins that do not display homology to eukaryotic proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Félix Ramos-León
- National Institutes of Health, 37 Convent Dr., Bldg 37, Room 5132, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, UNITED STATES
| | - Kumaran Ramamurthi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, 37 Convent Dr, Bldg 37, Room 5132, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, UNITED STATES
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12
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Abstract
Since the nucleoid was isolated from bacteria in the 1970s, two fundamental questions emerged and are still in the spotlight: how bacteria organize their chromosomes to fit inside the cell and how nucleoid organization enables essential biological processes. During the last decades, knowledge of bacterial chromosome organization has advanced considerably, and today, such chromosomes are considered to be highly organized and dynamic structures that are shaped by multiple factors in a multiscale manner. Here we review not only the classical well-known factors involved in chromosome organization but also novel components that have recently been shown to dynamically shape the 3D structuring of the bacterial genome. We focus on the different functional elements that control short-range organization and describe how they collaborate in the establishment of the higher-order folding and disposition of the chromosome. Recent advances have opened new avenues for a deeper understanding of the principles and mechanisms of chromosome organization in bacteria. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 75 is October 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia S Lioy
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France;
| | - Ivan Junier
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, TIMC-IMAG, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Frédéric Boccard
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France;
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13
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Direct Interaction of Polar Scaffolding Protein Wag31 with Nucleoid-Associated Protein Rv3852 Regulates Its Polar Localization. Cells 2021; 10:cells10061558. [PMID: 34203111 PMCID: PMC8233713 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Rv3852 is a unique nucleoid-associated protein (NAP) found exclusively in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and closely related species. Although annotated as H-NS, we showed previously that it is very different from H-NS in its properties and is distinct from other NAPs, anchoring to cell membrane by virtue of possessing a C-terminal transmembrane helix. Here, we investigated the role of Rv3852 in Mtb in organizing architecture or synthesis machinery of cell wall by protein–protein interaction approach. We demonstrated a direct physical interaction of Rv3852 with Wag31, an important cell shape and cell wall integrity determinant essential in Mtb. Wag31 localizes to the cell poles and possibly acts as a scaffold for cell wall synthesis proteins, resulting in polar cell growth in Mtb. Ectopic expression of Rv3852 in M. smegmatis resulted in its interaction with Wag31 orthologue DivIVAMsm. Binding of the NAP to Wag31 appears to be necessary for fine-tuning Wag31 localization to the cell poles, enabling complex cell wall synthesis in Mtb. In Rv3852 knockout background, Wag31 is mislocalized resulting in disturbed nascent peptidoglycan synthesis, suggesting that the NAP acts as a driver for localization of Wag31 to the cell poles. While this novel association between these two proteins presents one of the mechanisms to structure the elaborate multi-layered cell envelope of Mtb, it also exemplifies a new function for a NAP in mycobacteria.
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14
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Chaudhary R, Mishra S, Kota S, Misra H. Molecular interactions and their predictive roles in cell pole determination in bacteria. Crit Rev Microbiol 2021; 47:141-161. [PMID: 33423591 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2020.1857686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial cell cycle is divided into well-coordinated phases; chromosome duplication and segregation, cell elongation, septum formation, and cytokinesis. The temporal separation of these phases depends upon the growth rates and doubling time in different bacteria. The entire process of cell division starts with the assembly of divisome complex at mid-cell position followed by constriction of the cell wall and septum formation. In the mapping of mid-cell position for septum formation, the gradient of oscillating Min proteins across the poles plays a pivotal role in several bacteria genus. The cues in the cell that defines the poles and plane of cell division are not fully characterized in cocci. Recent studies have shed some lights on molecular interactions at the poles and the underlying mechanisms involved in pole determination in non-cocci. In this review, we have brought forth recent findings on these aspects together, which would suggest a model to explain the mechanisms of pole determination in rod shaped bacteria and could be extrapolated as a working model in cocci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reema Chaudhary
- Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.,Life Sciences, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Shruti Mishra
- Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.,Life Sciences, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Swathi Kota
- Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.,Life Sciences, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Hari Misra
- Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.,Life Sciences, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
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15
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Maurya GK, Misra HS. Characterization of ori and parS-like functions in secondary genome replicons in Deinococcus radiodurans. Life Sci Alliance 2020; 4:4/1/e202000856. [PMID: 33199509 PMCID: PMC7671480 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202000856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying multipartite genome maintenance and its functional significance in extraordinary radioresistance of Deinococcus radiodurans are not well understood. The sequences upstream to parAB operons in chrII (cisII) and MP (cisMP) could stabilize an otherwise, non-replicative colE1 plasmid, in D. radiodurans DnaA and cognate ParB proteins bound specifically with cisII and cisMP elements. The ΔcisII and ΔcisMP cells showed the reduced copy number of cognate replicons and radioresistance as compared with wild type. Fluorescent reporter-operator system inserted in chrI, chrII, and MP in wild type and cisII mutants showed the presence of all three replicons in wild-type cells. Although chrI was present in all the ΔcisII and ΔcisMP cells, nearly half of these cells had chrII and MP, respectively, and the other half had the reduced number of foci representing these replications. These results suggested that cisII and cisMP elements contain both origin of replication and parS-like functions and the secondary genome replicons (chrII and MP) are maintained independent of chrI and have roles in radioresistance of D. radiodurans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ganesh K Maurya
- Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
| | - Hari S Misra
- Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India .,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India
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16
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Xiang M, Kang Q, Zhang D. Advances on systems metabolic engineering of Bacillus subtilis as a chassis cell. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2020; 5:245-251. [PMID: 32775709 PMCID: PMC7394859 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The Gram-positive model bacterium Bacillus subtilis, has been broadly applied in various fields because of its low pathogenicity and strong protein secretion ability, as well as its well-developed fermentation technology. B. subtilis is considered as an attractive host in the field of metabolic engineering, in particular for protein expression and secretion, so it has been well studied and applied in genetic engineering. In this review, we discussed why B. subtilis is a good chassis cell for metabolic engineering. We also summarized the latest research progress in systematic biology, synthetic biology and evolution-based engineering of B. subtilis, and showed systemic metabolic engineering expedite the harnessing B. subtilis for bioproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjie Xiang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Kang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
| | - Dawei Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, People's Republic of China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China
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17
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Pióro M, Jakimowicz D. Chromosome Segregation Proteins as Coordinators of Cell Cycle in Response to Environmental Conditions. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:588. [PMID: 32351468 PMCID: PMC7174722 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromosome segregation is a crucial stage of the cell cycle. In general, proteins involved in this process are DNA-binding proteins, and in most bacteria, ParA and ParB are the main players; however, some bacteria manage this process by employing other proteins, such as condensins. The dynamic interaction between ParA and ParB drives movement and exerts positioning of the chromosomal origin of replication (oriC) within the cell. In addition, both ParA and ParB were shown to interact with the other proteins, including those involved in cell division or cell elongation. The significance of these interactions for the progression of the cell cycle is currently under investigation. Remarkably, DNA binding by ParA and ParB as well as their interactions with protein partners conceivably may be modulated by intra- and extracellular conditions. This notion provokes the question of whether chromosome segregation can be regarded as a regulatory stage of the cell cycle. To address this question, we discuss how environmental conditions affect chromosome segregation and how segregation proteins influence other cell cycle processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Pióro
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Dagmara Jakimowicz
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland
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18
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Chan H, Söderström B, Skoglund U. Spo0J and SMC are required for normal chromosome segregation in Staphylococcus aureus. Microbiologyopen 2020; 9:e999. [PMID: 31990138 PMCID: PMC7142367 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial chromosome segregation is an essential cellular process that is particularly elusive in spherical bacteria such as the opportunistic human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, we examined the functional significance of a ParB homologue, Spo0J, in staphylococcal chromosome segregation and investigated the role of the structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) bacterial condensin in this process. We show that neither spo0J nor smc is essential in S. aureus; however, their absence causes abnormal chromosome segregation. We demonstrate that formation of complexes containing Spo0J and SMC is required for efficient S. aureus chromosome segregation and that SMC localization is dependent on Spo0J. Furthermore, we found that cell division and cell cycle progression are unaffected by the absence of spo0J or smc. Our results verify the role of Spo0J and SMC in ensuring accurate staphylococcal chromosome segregation and also imply functional redundancy or the involvement of additional mechanisms that might contribute to faithful chromosome inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Chan
- Structural Cellular Biology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Bill Söderström
- Structural Cellular Biology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Ulf Skoglund
- Structural Cellular Biology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, Japan
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19
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Weber PM, Moessel F, Paredes GF, Viehboeck T, Vischer NO, Bulgheresi S. A Bidimensional Segregation Mode Maintains Symbiont Chromosome Orientation toward Its Host. Curr Biol 2019; 29:3018-3028.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.07.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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20
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Floc'h K, Lacroix F, Servant P, Wong YS, Kleman JP, Bourgeois D, Timmins J. Cell morphology and nucleoid dynamics in dividing Deinococcus radiodurans. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3815. [PMID: 31444361 PMCID: PMC6707255 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11725-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Our knowledge of bacterial nucleoids originates mostly from studies of rod- or crescent-shaped bacteria. Here we reveal that Deinococcus radiodurans, a relatively large spherical bacterium with a multipartite genome, constitutes a valuable system for the study of the nucleoid in cocci. Using advanced microscopy, we show that D. radiodurans undergoes coordinated morphological changes at both the cellular and nucleoid level as it progresses through its cell cycle. The nucleoid is highly condensed, but also surprisingly dynamic, adopting multiple configurations and presenting an unusual arrangement in which oriC loci are radially distributed around clustered ter sites maintained at the cell centre. Single-particle tracking and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching studies of the histone-like HU protein suggest that its loose binding to DNA may contribute to this remarkable plasticity. These findings demonstrate that nucleoid organization is complex and tightly coupled to cell cycle progression in this organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Floc'h
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, IBS, F-38000, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Pascale Servant
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Yung-Sing Wong
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, DPM, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | | | | | - Joanna Timmins
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, IBS, F-38000, Grenoble, France.
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21
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A DNA-Binding Protein Tunes Septum Placement during Bacillus subtilis Sporulation. J Bacteriol 2019; 201:JB.00287-19. [PMID: 31160399 PMCID: PMC6657595 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00287-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacillus subtilis is a bacterium capable of differentiating into a spore form more resistant to environmental stress. Early in sporulation, each cell possesses two copies of a circular chromosome. A polar FtsZ ring (Z ring) directs septation over one of the chromosomes, generating two cell compartments. The smaller "forespore" compartment initially contains only 25 to 30% of one chromosome, and this transient genetic asymmetry is required for differentiation. Timely assembly of polar Z rings and precise capture of the chromosome in the forespore both require the DNA-binding protein RefZ. To mediate its role in chromosome capture, RefZ must bind to specific DNA motifs (RBMs) that localize near the poles at the time of septation. Cells artificially induced to express RefZ during vegetative growth cannot assemble Z rings, an effect that also requires DNA binding. We hypothesized that RefZ-RBM complexes mediate precise chromosome capture by modulating FtsZ function. To investigate, we isolated 10 RefZ loss-of-function (rLOF) variants unable to inhibit cell division yet still capable of binding RBMs. Sporulating cells expressing the rLOF variants in place of wild-type RefZ phenocopied a ΔrefZ mutant, suggesting that RefZ acts through an FtsZ-dependent mechanism. The crystal structure of RefZ was solved, and wild-type RefZ and the rLOF variants were further characterized. Our data suggest that RefZ's oligomerization state and specificity for the RBMs are critical determinants influencing RefZ's ability to affect FtsZ dynamics. We propose that RBM-bound RefZ complexes function as a developmentally regulated nucleoid occlusion system for fine-tuning the position of the septum relative to the chromosome during sporulation.IMPORTANCE The bacterial nucleoid forms a large, highly organized structure. Thus, in addition to storing the genetic code, the nucleoid harbors positional information that can be leveraged by DNA-binding proteins to spatially constrain cellular activities. During B. subtilis sporulation, the nucleoid undergoes reorganization, and the cell division protein FtsZ assembles polarly to direct septation over one chromosome. The TetR family protein RefZ binds DNA motifs (RBMs) localized near the poles at the time of division and is required for both timely FtsZ assembly and precise capture of DNA in the future spore compartment. Our data suggest that RefZ exploits nucleoid organization by associating with polarly localized RBMs to modulate the positioning of FtsZ relative to the chromosome during sporulation.
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22
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DNA-Membrane Anchor Facilitates Efficient Chromosome Translocation at a Distance in Bacillus subtilis. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.01117-19. [PMID: 31239381 PMCID: PMC6593407 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01117-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
To properly segregate their chromosomes, organisms tightly regulate the organization and dynamics of their DNA. Aspects of the process by which DNA is translocated during sporulation are not yet fully understood, such as what factors indirectly influence the activity of the motor protein SpoIIIE. In this work, we have shown that a DNA-membrane tether mediated by RacA contributes to the activity of SpoIIIE. Loss of RacA nearly doubles the time of translocation, despite the physically distinct locations these proteins and their activities occupy within the cell. This is a rare example of an explicit effect that DNA-membrane connections can have on cell physiology and demonstrates that distant changes to the state of the chromosome can influence motor proteins which act upon it. Chromosome segregation in sporulating Bacillus subtilis involves the tethering of sister chromosomes at opposite cell poles. RacA is known to mediate chromosome tethering by interacting with both centromere-like elements in the DNA and with DivIVA, a membrane protein which localizes to the cell poles. RacA has a secondary function in which it assists in nucleoid condensation. Here we demonstrate that, in addition to positioning and condensing the chromosome, RacA contributes to efficient transport of DNA by the chromosome segregation motor SpoIIIE. When RacA is deleted, one-quarter of cells fail to capture DNA in the nascent spore, yet 70% of cells fail to form viable spores without RacA. This discrepancy indicates that RacA possesses a role in sporulation beyond DNA capture and condensation. We observed that the mutant cells had reduced chromosome translocation into the forespore across the entire length of the chromosome, requiring nearly twice as much time to move a given DNA locus. Additionally, functional abolition of the RacA-DivIVA interaction reduced translocation to a similar degree as in a racA deletion strain, demonstrating the importance of the RacA-mediated tether in translocation and chromosome packaging during sporulation. We propose that the DNA-membrane anchor facilitates efficient translocation by SpoIIIE, not through direct protein-protein contacts but by virtue of physical effects on the chromosome that arise from anchoring DNA at a distance.
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23
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Barák I, Muchová K, Labajová N. Asymmetric cell division during Bacillus subtilis sporulation. Future Microbiol 2019; 14:353-363. [PMID: 30855188 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2018-0338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus subtilis is a rod-shaped bacterium which divides precisely at mid-cell during vegetative growth. Unlike Escherichia coli, another model organism used for studying cell division, B. subtilis can also divide asymmetrically during sporulation, the simplest cell differentiation process. The asymmetrically positioned sporulation septum serves as a morphological foundation for establishing differential gene expression in the smaller forespore and larger mother cell. Both vegetative and sporulation septation events are fine-tuned with cell cycle, and placement of both septa are highly precise. We understand in some detail how this is achieved during vegetative growth but have limited information about how the asymmetric septation site is determined during sporulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imrich Barák
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarína Muchová
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Naďa Labajová
- Department of Microbial Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
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24
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Boock JT, Freedman AJE, Tompsett GA, Muse SK, Allen AJ, Jackson LA, Castro-Dominguez B, Timko MT, Prather KLJ, Thompson JR. Engineered microbial biofuel production and recovery under supercritical carbon dioxide. Nat Commun 2019; 10:587. [PMID: 30718495 PMCID: PMC6361901 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08486-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Culture contamination, end-product toxicity, and energy efficient product recovery are long-standing bioprocess challenges. To solve these problems, we propose a high-pressure fermentation strategy, coupled with in situ extraction using the abundant and renewable solvent supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2), which is also known for its broad microbial lethality. Towards this goal, we report the domestication and engineering of a scCO2-tolerant strain of Bacillus megaterium, previously isolated from formation waters from the McElmo Dome CO2 field, to produce branched alcohols that have potential use as biofuels. After establishing induced-expression under scCO2, isobutanol production from 2-ketoisovalerate is observed with greater than 40% yield with co-produced isopentanol. Finally, we present a process model to compare the energy required for our process to other in situ extraction methods, such as gas stripping, finding scCO2 extraction to be potentially competitive, if not superior. End-product toxicity, culture contamination, and energy efficient product recovery are long-standing issues in bioprocessing. Here, the authors address these problems using a fermentation strategy that combines microbial production of branched alcohols with supercritical carbon dioxide extraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason T Boock
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Department of Chemical, Paper, and Biomedical Engineering, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - Adam J E Freedman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Geoffrey A Tompsett
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Sarah K Muse
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Audrey J Allen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Luke A Jackson
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Bernardo Castro-Dominguez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA.,Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Michael T Timko
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA
| | - Kristala L J Prather
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - Janelle R Thompson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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25
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Ultee E, Ramijan K, Dame RT, Briegel A, Claessen D. Stress-induced adaptive morphogenesis in bacteria. Adv Microb Physiol 2019; 74:97-141. [PMID: 31126537 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ampbs.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria thrive in virtually all environments. Like all other living organisms, bacteria may encounter various types of stresses, to which cells need to adapt. In this chapter, we describe how cells cope with stressful conditions and how this may lead to dramatic morphological changes. These changes may not only allow harmless cells to withstand environmental insults but can also benefit pathogenic bacteria by enabling them to escape from the immune system and the activity of antibiotics. A better understanding of stress-induced morphogenesis will help us to develop new approaches to combat such harmful pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eveline Ultee
- Molecular Biotechnology, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands; Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Karina Ramijan
- Molecular Biotechnology, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands; Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Remus T Dame
- Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Macromolecular Biochemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CE Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Ariane Briegel
- Molecular Biotechnology, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands; Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Dennis Claessen
- Molecular Biotechnology, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, the Netherlands; Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
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26
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Valenčíková R, Krascsenitsová E, Labajová N, Makroczyová J, Barák I. Clostridial DivIVA and MinD interact in the absence of MinJ. Anaerobe 2018; 50:22-31. [PMID: 29408597 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2018.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Revised: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
One of the key regulators ensuring proper Z-ring placement in rod-shaped bacteria is the Min system. It does so by creating a concentration gradient of the MinC septation inhibitor along the cell axis. In Escherichia coli, this gradient is established by a MinE-mediated pole-to-pole oscillation of the MinCDE complex. In Bacillus subtilis, the creation of an inhibitory gradient relies on the MinJ and DivIVA pair of topological determinants, which target MinCD to the newly formed cell poles. Introducing the E. coli oscillating Min system into B. subtilis leads to a sporulation defect, suggesting that oscillation is incompatible with sporulation. However, Clostridia, close endospore-forming relatives of Bacilli, do encode oscillating Min homologues in various combinations together with homologues from the less dynamic B. subtilis Min system. Here we address the questions of how these two systems could exist side-by-side and how they influence one another by studying the Clostridium beijerinckii and Clostridium difficile Min systems. The toolbox of genetic manipulations and fluorescent protein fusions in Clostridia is limited, therefore B. subtilis and E. coli were chosen as heterologous systems for studying these proteins. In B. subtilis, MinD and DivIVA interact through MinJ; here, however, we discovered that the MinD and DivIVA proteins of both C. difficile, and C. beijerinckii, interact directly, which is surprising in the latter case, since that organism also encodes a MinJ homologue. We confirm this interaction using both in vitro and in vivo methods. We also show that C. beijerinckii MinJ is probably not in direct contact with DivIVACb and, unlike B. subtilis MinJ, does not mediate the MinDCb and DivIVACb interaction. Our results suggest that the Clostridia Min system uses a new mechanism of function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romana Valenčíková
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 21, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Eva Krascsenitsová
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 21, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Naďa Labajová
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 21, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jana Makroczyová
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 21, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Imrich Barák
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 21, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia.
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27
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Abstract
If fully stretched out, a typical bacterial chromosome would be nearly 1 mm long, approximately 1,000 times the length of a cell. Not only must cells massively compact their genetic material, but they must also organize their DNA in a manner that is compatible with a range of cellular processes, including DNA replication, DNA repair, homologous recombination, and horizontal gene transfer. Recent work, driven in part by technological advances, has begun to reveal the general principles of chromosome organization in bacteria. Here, drawing on studies of many different organisms, we review the emerging picture of how bacterial chromosomes are structured at multiple length scales, highlighting the functions of various DNA-binding proteins and the impact of physical forces. Additionally, we discuss the spatial dynamics of chromosomes, particularly during their segregation to daughter cells. Although there has been tremendous progress, we also highlight gaps that remain in understanding chromosome organization and segregation.
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28
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Duan Y, Huey JD, Herman JK. The DnaA inhibitor SirA acts in the same pathway as Soj (ParA) to facilitateoriCsegregation duringBacillus subtilissporulation. Mol Microbiol 2016; 102:530-544. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Duan
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics; Texas A&M University; College Station TX USA
| | - Jack D. Huey
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics; Texas A&M University; College Station TX USA
| | - Jennifer K. Herman
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics; Texas A&M University; College Station TX USA
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29
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Abstract
Research over the last two decades has revealed that bacterial genomes are, in fact, highly organized. The goal of future research is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial chromosome architecture and dynamics during the cell cycle. Here we discuss techniques that can be used with live cells to analyze chromosome structure and segregation in the gram-positive model organism Bacillus subtilis.
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30
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Kloosterman TG, Lenarcic R, Willis CR, Roberts DM, Hamoen LW, Errington J, Wu LJ. Complex polar machinery required for proper chromosome segregation in vegetative and sporulating cells of Bacillus subtilis. Mol Microbiol 2016; 101:333-50. [PMID: 27059541 PMCID: PMC4949633 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2015] [Revised: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Chromosome segregation is an essential process of cell multiplication. In prokaryotes, segregation starts with the newly replicated sister origins of replication, oriCs, which move apart to defined positions in the cell. We have developed a genetic screen to identify mutants defective in placement of oriC during spore development in the Gram‐positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. In addition to the previously identified proteins Soj and DivIVA, our screen identified several new factors involved in polar recruitment of oriC: a reported regulator of competence ComN, and the regulators of division site selection MinD and MinJ. Previous work implicated Soj as an important regulator of oriC positioning in the cell. Our results suggest a model in which the DivIVA‐interacting proteins ComN and MinJ recruit MinD to the cell pole, and that these proteins work upstream of Soj to enable oriC placement. We show that these proteins form a polar complex, which acts in parallel with but distinct from the sporulation‐specific RacA pathway of oriC placement, and also functions during vegetative growth. Our study further shows that MinD has two distinct cell cycle roles, in cell division and chromosome segregation, and highlights that cell probably use multiple parallel mechanisms to ensure accurate chromosome segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas G Kloosterman
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.,Department of Molecular Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rok Lenarcic
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.,Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d., Menges, Slovenia
| | - Clare R Willis
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - David M Roberts
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Leendert W Hamoen
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.,Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jeff Errington
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Ling J Wu
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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31
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Schumacher MA, Lee J, Zeng W. Molecular insights into DNA binding and anchoring by the Bacillus subtilis sporulation kinetochore-like RacA protein. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:5438-49. [PMID: 27085804 PMCID: PMC4914108 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
During Bacillus subtilis sporulation, segregating sister chromosomes are anchored to cell poles and the chromosome is remodeled into an elongated structure called the axial filament. Data indicate that a developmentally regulated protein called RacA is involved in these functions. To gain insight into how RacA performs these diverse processes we performed a battery of structural and biochemical analyses. These studies show that RacA contains an N-terminal winged-helix-turn-helix module connected by a disordered region to a predicted coiled-coil domain. Structures capture RacA binding the DNA using distinct protein-protein interfaces and employing adjustable DNA docking modes. This unique DNA binding mechanism indicates how RacA can both specifically recognize its GC-rich centromere and also non-specifically bind the DNA. Adjacent RacA molecules within the protein-DNA structure interact leading to DNA compaction, suggesting a mechanism for axial filament formation. We also show that the RacA C-domain coiled coil directly contacts the coiled coil region of the polar protein DivIVA, which anchors RacA and hence the chromosome to the pole. Thus, our combined data reveal unique DNA binding properties by RacA and provide insight into the DNA remodeling and polar anchorage functions of the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Schumacher
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, 255 Nanaline H. Duke, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Jeehyun Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, 255 Nanaline H. Duke, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Wenjie Zeng
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, 255 Nanaline H. Duke, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Garcia-Garcia T, Poncet S, Derouiche A, Shi L, Mijakovic I, Noirot-Gros MF. Role of Protein Phosphorylation in the Regulation of Cell Cycle and DNA-Related Processes in Bacteria. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:184. [PMID: 26909079 PMCID: PMC4754617 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In all living organisms, the phosphorylation of proteins modulates various aspects of their functionalities. In eukaryotes, protein phosphorylation plays a key role in cell signaling, gene expression, and differentiation. Protein phosphorylation is also involved in the global control of DNA replication during the cell cycle, as well as in the mechanisms that cope with stress-induced replication blocks. Similar to eukaryotes, bacteria use Hanks-type kinases and phosphatases for signal transduction, and protein phosphorylation is involved in numerous cellular processes. However, it remains unclear whether protein phosphorylation in bacteria can also regulate the activity of proteins involved in DNA-mediated processes such as DNA replication or repair. Accumulating evidence supported by functional and biochemical studies suggests that phospho-regulatory mechanisms also take place during the bacterial cell cycle. Recent phosphoproteomics and interactomics studies identified numerous phosphoproteins involved in various aspect of DNA metabolism strongly supporting the existence of such level of regulation in bacteria. Similar to eukaryotes, bacterial scaffolding-like proteins emerged as platforms for kinase activation and signaling. This review reports the current knowledge on the phosphorylation of proteins involved in the maintenance of genome integrity and the regulation of cell cycle in bacteria that reveals surprising similarities to eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandrine Poncet
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Abderahmane Derouiche
- Systems and Synthetic Biology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lei Shi
- Systems and Synthetic Biology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ivan Mijakovic
- Systems and Synthetic Biology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of TechnologyGothenburg, Sweden; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of DenmarkHørsholm, Denmark
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Miller AK, Brown EE, Mercado BT, Herman JK. A DNA-binding protein defines the precise region of chromosome capture during Bacillus sporulation. Mol Microbiol 2015; 99:111-22. [PMID: 26360512 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
During sporulation, Bacillus subtilis divides around the nucleoid near one cell pole, initially capturing approximately one quarter of one chromosome in the newly formed forespore compartment. While it is known that a specific region of the nucleoid is reproducibly captured in the forespore, the mechanism underlying the precision of capture is unknown. Here we describe a role for RefZ, a DNA-binding protein that regulates FtsZ, and its cognate binding motifs (RBMs) in defining the specific region of chromosome initially captured in the forespore. RefZ is conserved across the Bacillus genus and remains functional as an inhibitor of cell division in a species-swapping experiment. The RBMs are also conserved in their positioning relative to oriC across Bacillus, suggesting that the function of the RBMs is both important and position-dependent in the genus. In B. subtilis, the RBMs flank the region of the chromosome captured at the time of cell division, and we find that RefZ binds the five oriC-proximal RBMs with similar apparent affinity in units of two and four. refZ and RBM mutants capture chromosomal regions normally excluded from the forespore, suggesting that RefZ-RBM complexes play a role in regulating the position of cell division relative to the chromosome during sporulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allyssa K Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Emily E Brown
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Benjamin T Mercado
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Jennifer K Herman
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 2128 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
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Wang X, Rudner DZ. Spatial organization of bacterial chromosomes. Curr Opin Microbiol 2015; 22:66-72. [PMID: 25460798 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2014.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Revised: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial chromosomes are organized in stereotypical patterns that are faithfully and robustly regenerated in daughter cells. Two distinct spatial patterns were described almost a decade ago in our most tractable model organisms. In recent years, analysis of chromosome organization in a larger and more diverse set of bacteria and a deeper characterization of chromosome dynamics in the original model systems have provided a broader and more complete picture of both chromosome organization and the activities that generate the observed spatial patterns. Here, we summarize these different patterns highlighting similarities and differences and discuss the protein factors that help establish and maintain them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xindan Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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35
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Gruber S. Multilayer chromosome organization through DNA bending, bridging and extrusion. Curr Opin Microbiol 2015; 22:102-10. [PMID: 25460803 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2014.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2014] [Revised: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
All living cells have to master the extraordinarily extended and tangly nature of genomic DNA molecules — in particular during cell division when sister chromosomes are resolved from one another and confined to opposite halves of a cell. Bacteria have evolved diverse sets of proteins, which collectively ensure the formation of compact and yet highly dynamic nucleoids. Some of these players act locally by changing the path of DNA through the bending of its double helical backbone. Other proteins have wider or even global impact on chromosome organization, for example by interconnecting two distant segments of chromosomal DNA or by actively relocating DNA within a cell. Here, I highlight different modes of chromosome organization in bacteria and on this basis consider models for the function of SMC protein complexes, whose mechanism of action is only poorly understood so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Gruber
- Chromosome Organization and Dynamics, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
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Ramachandran R, Jha J, Chattoraj DK. Chromosome segregation in Vibrio cholerae. J Mol Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 24:360-70. [PMID: 25732338 DOI: 10.1159/000368853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of chromosome segregation is currently one of the most exciting research frontiers in cell biology. In this review, we discuss our current knowledge of the chromosome segregation process in Vibrio cholerae, based primarily on findings from fluorescence microscopy experiments. This bacterium is of special interest because of its eukaryotic feature of having a divided genome, a feature shared with 10% of known bacteria. We also discuss how the segregation mechanisms of V. cholerae compare with those in other bacteria, and highlight some of the remaining questions regarding the process of bacterial chromosome segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Revathy Ramachandran
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md., USA
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Abstract
My career in science was launched when I was an undergraduate at Princeton University and reinforced by graduate training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. However, it was only after I moved to Harvard University as a junior fellow that my affections were captured by a seemingly mundane soil bacterium. What Bacillus subtilis offered was endless fascinating biological problems (alternative sigma factors, sporulation, swarming, biofilm formation, stochastic cell fate switching) embedded in a uniquely powerful genetic system. Along the way, my career in science became inseparably interwoven with teaching and mentoring, which proved to be as rewarding as the thrill of discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Losick
- From the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 01238
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38
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Abstract
Bacteria are polarized cells with many asymmetrically localized proteins that are regulated temporally and spatially. This spatiotemporal dynamics is critical for several fundamental cellular processes including growth, division, cell cycle regulation, chromosome segregation, differentiation, and motility. Therefore, understanding how proteins find their correct location at the right time is crucial for elucidating bacterial cell function. Despite the diversity of proteins displaying spatiotemporal dynamics, general principles for the dynamic regulation of protein localization to the cell poles and the midcell are emerging. These principles include diffusion-capture, self-assembling polymer-forming landmark proteins, nonpolymer forming landmark proteins, matrix-dependent self-organizing ParA/MinD ATPases, and small Ras-like GTPases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke Treuner-Lange
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Lotte Søgaard-Andersen
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, 35043 Marburg, Germany
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39
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Tan IS, Ramamurthi KS. Spore formation in Bacillus subtilis. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2014; 6:212-25. [PMID: 24983526 PMCID: PMC4078662 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 228] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2013] [Revised: 11/05/2013] [Accepted: 11/19/2013] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Although prokaryotes ordinarily undergo binary fission to produce two identical daughter cells, some are able to undergo alternative developmental pathways that produce daughter cells of distinct cell morphology and fate. One such example is a developmental programme called sporulation in the bacterium Bacillus subtilis, which occurs under conditions of environmental stress. Sporulation has long been used as a model system to help elucidate basic processes of developmental biology including transcription regulation, intercellular signalling, membrane remodelling, protein localization and cell fate determination. This review highlights some of the recent work that has been done to further understand prokaryotic cell differentiation during sporulation and its potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene S Tan
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA; NIH-Johns Hopkins University Graduate Partnerships Program, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
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40
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Sun M, Nishino T, Marko JF. The SMC1-SMC3 cohesin heterodimer structures DNA through supercoiling-dependent loop formation. Nucleic Acids Res 2013; 41:6149-60. [PMID: 23620281 PMCID: PMC3695518 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkt303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cohesin plays a critical role in sister chromatid cohesion, double-stranded DNA break repair and regulation of gene expression. However, the mechanism of how cohesin directly interacts with DNA remains unclear. We report single-molecule experiments analyzing the interaction of the budding yeast cohesin Structural Maintenance of Chromosome (SMC)1-SMC3 heterodimer with naked double-helix DNA. The cohesin heterodimer is able to compact DNA molecules against applied forces of 0.45 pN, via a series of extension steps of a well-defined size ≈130 nm. This reaction does not require ATP, but is dependent on DNA supercoiling: DNA with positive torsional stress is compacted more quickly than negatively supercoiled or nicked DNAs. Un-nicked torsionally relaxed DNA is a poor substrate for the compaction reaction. Experiments with mutant proteins indicate that the dimerization hinge region is crucial to the folding reaction. We conclude that the SMC1-SMC3 heterodimer is able to restructure the DNA double helix into a series of loops, with a preference for positive writhe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxuan Sun
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3500, USA
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41
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Ptacin JL, Shapiro L. Chromosome architecture is a key element of bacterial cellular organization. Cell Microbiol 2012; 15:45-52. [PMID: 23078580 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2012] [Revised: 10/05/2012] [Accepted: 10/09/2012] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The bacterial chromosome encodes information at multiple levels. Beyond direct protein coding, genomes encode regulatory information required to orchestrate the proper timing and levels of gene expression and protein synthesis, and contain binding sites and regulatory sequences to co-ordinate the activities of proteins involved in chromosome repair and maintenance. In addition, it is becoming increasingly clear that yet another level of information is encoded by the bacterial chromosome - the three-dimensional packaging of the chromosomal DNA molecule itself and its positioning relative to the cell. This vast structural blueprint of specific positional information is manifested in various ways, directing chromosome compaction, accessibility, attachment to the cell envelope, supercoiling, and general architecture and arrangement of the chromosome relative to the cell body. Recent studies have begun to identify and characterize novel systems that utilize the three-dimensional spatial information encoded by chromosomal architecture to co-ordinate and direct fundamental cellular processes within the cytoplasm, providing large-scale order within the complex clutter of the cytoplasmic compartment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerod L Ptacin
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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42
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Abstract
In dividing cells, chromosome duplication once per generation must be coordinated with faithful segregation of newly replicated chromosomes and with cell growth and division. Many of the mechanistic details of bacterial replication elongation are well established. However, an understanding of the complexities of how replication initiation is controlled and coordinated with other cellular processes is emerging only slowly. In contrast to eukaryotes, in which replication and segregation are separate in time, the segregation of most newly replicated bacterial genetic loci occurs sequentially soon after replication. We compare the strategies used by chromosomes and plasmids to ensure their accurate duplication and segregation and discuss how these processes are coordinated spatially and temporally with growth and cell division. We also describe what is known about the three conserved families of ATP-binding proteins that contribute to chromosome segregation and discuss their inter-relationships in a range of disparate bacteria.
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43
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RefZ facilitates the switch from medial to polar division during spore formation in Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol 2012; 194:4608-18. [PMID: 22730127 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00378-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
During sporulation, Bacillus subtilis redeploys the division protein FtsZ from midcell to the cell poles, ultimately generating an asymmetric septum. Here, we describe a sporulation-induced protein, RefZ, that facilitates the switch from a medial to a polar FtsZ ring placement. The artificial expression of RefZ during vegetative growth converts FtsZ rings into FtsZ spirals, arcs, and foci, leading to filamentation and lysis. Mutations in FtsZ specifically suppress RefZ-dependent division inhibition, suggesting that RefZ may target FtsZ. During sporulation, cells lacking RefZ are delayed in polar FtsZ ring formation, spending more time in the medial and transition stages of FtsZ ring assembly. A RefZ-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion localizes in weak polar foci at the onset of sporulation and as a brighter midcell focus at the time of polar division. RefZ has a TetR DNA binding motif, and point mutations in the putative recognition helix disrupt focus formation and abrogate cell division inhibition. Finally, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays identified sites of RefZ enrichment in the origin region and near the terminus. Collectively, these data support a model in which RefZ helps promote the switch from medial to polar division and is guided by the organization of the chromosome. Models in which RefZ acts as an activator of FtsZ ring assembly near the cell poles or as an inhibitor of the transient medial ring at midcell are discussed.
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44
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Donovan C, Sieger B, Krämer R, Bramkamp M. A synthetic Escherichia coli system identifies a conserved origin tethering factor in Actinobacteria. Mol Microbiol 2012; 84:105-16. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2012.08011.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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45
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Jha JK, Baek JH, Venkova-Canova T, Chattoraj DK. Chromosome dynamics in multichromosome bacteria. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2012; 1819:826-9. [PMID: 22306663 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2012.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2011] [Revised: 01/10/2012] [Accepted: 01/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
On the basis of limited information, bacteria were once assumed to have no more than one chromosome. In the era of genomics, it has become clear that some, like eukaryotes, have more than one chromosome. Multichromosome bacteria provide opportunities to investigate how split genomes emerged, whether the individual chromosomes communicate to coordinate their replication and segregation, and what selective advantages split genomes might provide. Our current knowledge of these topics comes mostly from studies in Vibrio cholerae, which has two chromosomes, chr1 and chr2. Chr1 carries out most of the house-keeping functions and is considered the main chromosome, whereas chr2 appears to have originated from a plasmid and has acquired genes of mostly unknown origin and function. Nevertheless, unlike plasmids, chr2 replicates once and only once per cell cycle, like a bona fide chromosome. The two chromosomes replicate and segregate using separate programs, unlike eukaryotic chromosomes. They terminate replication synchronously, suggesting that there might be communication between them. Replication of the chromosomes is affected by segregation genes but in a chromosome specific fashion, a new development in the field of DNA replication control. The split genome allows genome duplication to complete in less time and with fewer replication forks, which could be beneficial for genome maintenance during rapid growth, which is the norm for V. cholerae in broth cultures and in the human host. In the latter, the expression of chr2 genes increases preferentially. Studies of chromosome maintenance in multichromosomal bacteria, although in their infancy, are already broadening our view of chromosome biology. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Chromatin in time and space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti K Jha
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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46
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Cellular architecture mediates DivIVA ultrastructure and regulates min activity in Bacillus subtilis. mBio 2011; 2:mBio.00257-11. [PMID: 22108385 PMCID: PMC3225972 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00257-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED The assembly of the cell division machinery at midcell is a critical step of cytokinesis. Many rod-shaped bacteria position septa using nucleoid occlusion, which prevents division over the chromosome, and the Min system, which prevents division near the poles. Here we examined the in vivo assembly of the Bacillus subtilis MinCD targeting proteins DivIVA, a peripheral membrane protein that preferentially localizes to negatively curved membranes and resembles eukaryotic tropomyosins, and MinJ, which recruits MinCD to DivIVA. We used structured illumination microscopy to demonstrate that both DivIVA and MinJ localize as double rings that flank the septum and first appear early in septal biosynthesis. The subsequent recruitment of MinCD to these double rings would separate the Min proteins from their target, FtsZ, spatially regulating Min activity and allowing continued cell division. Curvature-based localization would also provide temporal regulation, since DivIVA and the Min proteins would localize to midcell after the onset of division. We use time-lapse microscopy and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching to demonstrate that DivIVA rings are highly stable and are constructed from newly synthesized DivIVA molecules. After cell division, DivIVA rings appear to collapse into patches at the rounded cell poles of separated cells, with little or no incorporation of newly synthesized subunits. Thus, changes in cell architecture mediate both the initial recruitment of DivIVA to sites of cell division and the subsequent collapse of these rings into patches (or rings of smaller diameter), while curvature-based localization of DivIVA spatially and temporally regulates Min activity. IMPORTANCE The Min systems of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis both inhibit FtsZ assembly, but one key difference between these two species is that whereas the E. coli Min proteins localize to the poles, the B. subtilis proteins localize to nascent division sites by interaction with DivIVA and MinJ. It is unclear how MinC activity at midcell is regulated to prevent it from interfering with FtsZ engaged in medial cell division. We used superresolution microscopy to demonstrate that DivIVA and MinJ, which localize MinCD, assemble double rings that flank active division sites and septa. This curvature-based localization mechanism holds MinCD away from the FtsZ ring at midcell, and we propose that this spatial organization is the primary mechanism by which MinC activity is regulated to allow division at midcell. Curvature-based localization also conveys temporal regulation, since it ensures that MinC localizes after the onset of division.
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47
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Higgins D, Dworkin J. Recent progress in Bacillus subtilis sporulation. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2011; 36:131-48. [PMID: 22091839 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6976.2011.00310.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 314] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2011] [Revised: 08/25/2011] [Accepted: 09/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis can initiate the process of sporulation under conditions of nutrient limitation. Here, we review some of the last 5 years of work in this area, with a particular focus on the decision to initiate sporulation, DNA translocation, cell-cell communication, protein localization and spore morphogenesis. The progress we describe has implications not only just for the study of sporulation but also for other biological systems where homologs of sporulation-specific proteins are involved in vegetative growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Higgins
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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48
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Touzain F, Petit MA, Schbath S, El Karoui M. DNA motifs that sculpt the bacterial chromosome. Nat Rev Microbiol 2011; 9:15-26. [PMID: 21164534 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro2477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
During the bacterial cell cycle, the processes of chromosome replication, DNA segregation, DNA repair and cell division are coordinated by precisely defined events. Tremendous progress has been made in recent years in identifying the mechanisms that underlie these processes. A striking feature common to these processes is that non-coding DNA motifs play a central part, thus 'sculpting' the bacterial chromosome. Here, we review the roles of these motifs in the mechanisms that ensure faithful transmission of genetic information to daughter cells. We show how their chromosomal distribution is crucial for their function and how it can be analysed quantitatively. Finally, the potential roles of these motifs in bacterial chromosome evolution are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice Touzain
- INRA, UMR 1319, Institut Micalis, FR-78352, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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49
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Abstract
Bacterial chromosomes are generally approximately 1000 times longer than the cells in which they reside, and concurrent replication, segregation, and transcription/translation of this crowded mass of DNA poses a challenging organizational problem. Recent advances in cell-imaging technology with subdiffraction resolution have revealed that the bacterial nucleoid is reliably oriented and highly organized within the cell. Such organization is transmitted from one generation to the next by progressive segregation of daughter chromosomes and anchoring of DNA to the cell envelope. Active segregation by a mitotic machinery appears to be common; however, the mode of chromosome segregation varies significantly from species to species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban Toro
- Department of Developmental Biology, Beckman Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
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50
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Gerdes K, Howard M, Szardenings F. Pushing and pulling in prokaryotic DNA segregation. Cell 2010; 141:927-42. [PMID: 20550930 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2010.05.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2010] [Revised: 04/11/2010] [Accepted: 05/20/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
In prokaryotes, DNA can be segregated by three different types of cytoskeletal filaments. The best-understood type of partitioning (par) locus encodes an actin homolog called ParM, which forms dynamically unstable filaments that push plasmids apart in a process reminiscent of mitosis. However, the most common type of par locus, which is present on many plasmids and most bacterial chromosomes, encodes a P loop ATPase (ParA) that distributes plasmids equidistant from one another on the bacterial nucleoid. A third type of par locus encodes a tubulin homolog (TubZ) that forms cytoskeletal filaments that move rapidly with treadmill dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenn Gerdes
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, UK.
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