1
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Cameron TA, Margolin W. Insights into the assembly and regulation of the bacterial divisome. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024; 22:33-45. [PMID: 37524757 PMCID: PMC11102604 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-023-00942-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
The ability to split one cell into two is fundamental to all life, and many bacteria can accomplish this feat several times per hour with high accuracy. Most bacteria call on an ancient homologue of tubulin, called FtsZ, to localize and organize the cell division machinery, the divisome, into a ring-like structure at the cell midpoint. The divisome includes numerous other proteins, often including an actin homologue (FtsA), that interact with each other at the cytoplasmic membrane. Once assembled, the protein complexes that comprise the dynamic divisome coordinate membrane constriction with synthesis of a division septum, but only after overcoming checkpoints mediated by specialized protein-protein interactions. In this Review, we summarize the most recent evidence showing how the divisome proteins of Escherichia coli assemble at the cell midpoint, interact with each other and regulate activation of septum synthesis. We also briefly discuss the potential of divisome proteins as novel antibiotic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd A Cameron
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, USA
| | - William Margolin
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, USA.
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2
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Carrasco V, Berríos-Pastén C, Canales N, Órdenes A, Wilson CAM, Monasterio O. Bioinformatics, thermodynamics, and mechanical resistance of the FtsZ-ZipA complex of Escherichia coli supports a highly dynamic protein interaction in the divisome. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2023; 1867:130471. [PMID: 37806464 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2023.130471] [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: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
In most microorganisms, cell division is guided by the divisome, a multiprotein complex that assembles at the equator of the cell and is responsible for the synthesis of new cell wall material. FtsZ, the first protein to assemble into this complex forms protofilaments in the cytosol which are anchored to the inner side of the cytosolic membrane by the proteins ZipA and FtsA. FtsZ protofilaments generate a force that deforms the cytosolic membrane and may contribute to the constriction force that leads to the septation of the cell. It has not been studied yet how the membrane protein anchors respond to this force generated by FtsZ. Here we studied the effect of force in the FtsZ-ZipA interaction. We used SMD and obtained the distance to the transition state of key interacting amino acids and SASA of FtsZ and ZipA through the dissociation. The SMD mechanism was corroborated by ITC, and the thermodynamic parameters ΔG0, ΔH0 and ΔS0 were obtained. Finally, we used force spectroscopy by optical tweezers to determine the lifetime of the interaction and rupture probability and their dependence on force at single molecule level. We also obtained the transition state distance, and free energy of the interaction. With the gathering of structural, thermodynamic, kinetic and force parameters we conclude that interaction between FtsZ and ZipA proteins is consistence with the highly dynamic treadmilling process and at least seven ZipA molecules are required to bind to a FtsZ protofilaments to transduce a significant force.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Carrasco
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras, 3425 Ñuñoa, Región Metropolitana, Chile; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Dr. Carlos Lorca Tobar 964, Independencia, Región Metropolitana, Santiago, Chile..
| | - Camilo Berríos-Pastén
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras, 3425 Ñuñoa, Región Metropolitana, Chile.
| | - Nicolás Canales
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras, 3425 Ñuñoa, Región Metropolitana, Chile.
| | - Alexis Órdenes
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras, 3425 Ñuñoa, Región Metropolitana, Chile
| | - Christian A M Wilson
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Dr. Carlos Lorca Tobar 964, Independencia, Región Metropolitana, Santiago, Chile..
| | - Octavio Monasterio
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras, 3425 Ñuñoa, Región Metropolitana, Chile.
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3
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Sharma AK, Poddar SM, Chakraborty J, Nayak BS, Kalathil S, Mitra N, Gayathri P, Srinivasan R. A mechanism of salt bridge-mediated resistance to FtsZ inhibitor PC190723 revealed by a cell-based screen. Mol Biol Cell 2023; 34:ar16. [PMID: 36652338 PMCID: PMC10011733 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e22-12-0538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial cell division proteins, especially the tubulin homologue FtsZ, have emerged as strong targets for developing new antibiotics. Here, we have utilized the fission yeast heterologous expression system to develop a cell-based assay to screen for small molecules that directly and specifically target the bacterial cell division protein FtsZ. The strategy also allows for simultaneous assessment of the toxicity of the drugs to eukaryotic yeast cells. As a proof-of-concept of the utility of this assay, we demonstrate the effect of the inhibitors sanguinarine, berberine, and PC190723 on FtsZ. Though sanguinarine and berberine affect FtsZ polymerization, they exert a toxic effect on the cells. Further, using this assay system, we show that PC190723 affects Helicobacter pylori FtsZ function and gain new insights into the molecular determinants of resistance to PC190723. On the basis of sequence and structural analysis and site-specific mutations, we demonstrate that the presence of salt bridge interactions between the central H7 helix and β-strands S9 and S10 mediates resistance to PC190723 in FtsZ. The single-step in vivo cell-based assay using fission yeast enabled us to dissect the contribution of sequence-specific features of FtsZ and cell permeability effects associated with bacterial cell envelopes. Thus, our assay serves as a potent tool to rapidly identify novel compounds targeting polymeric bacterial cytoskeletal proteins like FtsZ to understand how they alter polymerization dynamics and address resistance determinants in targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Kumar Sharma
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institutes, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Sakshi Mahesh Poddar
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institutes, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Joyeeta Chakraborty
- Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
| | - Bhagyashri Soumya Nayak
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institutes, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Srilakshmi Kalathil
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institutes, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Nivedita Mitra
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institutes, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Pananghat Gayathri
- Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
| | - Ramanujam Srinivasan
- School of Biological Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar 752050, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institutes, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai 400094, India
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4
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Models versus pathogens: how conserved is the FtsZ in bacteria? Biosci Rep 2023; 43:232502. [PMID: 36695643 PMCID: PMC9939409 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20221664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Combating anti-microbial resistance by developing alternative strategies is the need of the hour. Cell division, particularly FtsZ, is being extensively studied for its potential as an alternative target for anti-bacterial therapy. Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli are the two well-studied models for research on FtsZ, the leader protein of the cell division machinery. As representatives of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, respectively, these organisms have provided an extensive outlook into the process of cell division in rod-shaped bacteria. However, research on other shapes of bacteria, like cocci and ovococci, lags behind that of model rods. Even though most regions of FtsZ show sequence and structural conservation throughout bacteria, the differences in FtsZ functioning and interacting partners establish several different modes of division in different bacteria. In this review, we compare the features of FtsZ and cell division in the model rods B. subtilis and E. coli and the four pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Reviewing several recent articles on these pathogenic bacteria, we have highlighted the functioning of FtsZ, the unique roles of FtsZ-associated proteins, and the cell division processes in them. Further, we provide a detailed look at the anti-FtsZ compounds discovered and their target bacteria, emphasizing the need for elucidation of the anti-FtsZ mechanism of action in different bacteria. Current challenges and opportunities in the ongoing journey of identifying potent anti-FtsZ drugs have also been described.
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5
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Misal SA, Ovhal SD, Li S, Karty JA, Tang H, Radivojac P, Reilly JP. Non-Specific Signal Peptidase Processing of Extracellular Proteins in Staphylococcus aureus N315. Proteomes 2023; 11:proteomes11010008. [PMID: 36810564 PMCID: PMC9944065 DOI: 10.3390/proteomes11010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major community-acquired human pathogens, with growing multidrug-resistance, leading to a major threat of more prevalent infections to humans. A variety of virulence factors and toxic proteins are secreted during infection via the general secretory (Sec) pathway, which requires an N-terminal signal peptide to be cleaved from the N-terminus of the protein. This N-terminal signal peptide is recognized and processed by a type I signal peptidase (SPase). SPase-mediated signal peptide processing is the crucial step in the pathogenicity of S. aureus. In the present study, the SPase-mediated N-terminal protein processing and their cleavage specificity were evaluated using a combination of N-terminal amidination bottom-up and top-down proteomics-based mass spectrometry approaches. Secretory proteins were found to be cleaved by SPase, specifically and non-specifically, on both sides of the normal SPase cleavage site. The non-specific cleavages occur at the relatively smaller residues that are present next to the -1, +1, and +2 locations from the original SPase cleavage site to a lesser extent. Additional random cleavages at the middle and near the C-terminus of some protein sequences were also observed. This additional processing could be a part of some stress conditions and unknown signal peptidase mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santosh A. Misal
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-301-761-7277
| | - Shital D. Ovhal
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Sujun Li
- Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, 700 N. Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
| | - Jonathan A. Karty
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Haixu Tang
- Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, 700 N. Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
| | - Predrag Radivojac
- Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Indiana University, 700 N. Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
- Khoury College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University, 177 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - James P. Reilly
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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6
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Shinn MK, Cohan MC, Bullock JL, Ruff KM, Levin PA, Pappu RV. Connecting sequence features within the disordered C-terminal linker of Bacillus subtilis FtsZ to functions and bacterial cell division. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2211178119. [PMID: 36215496 PMCID: PMC9586301 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2211178119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) can function as autoregulators of folded enzymes to which they are tethered. One example is the bacterial cell division protein FtsZ. This includes a folded core and a C-terminal tail (CTT) that encompasses a poorly conserved, disordered C-terminal linker (CTL) and a well-conserved 17-residue C-terminal peptide (CT17). Sites for GTPase activity of FtsZs are formed at the interface between GTP binding sites and T7 loops on cores of adjacent subunits within dimers. Here, we explore the basis of autoregulatory functions of the CTT in Bacillus subtilis FtsZ (Bs-FtsZ). Molecular simulations show that the CT17 of Bs-FtsZ makes statistically significant CTL-mediated contacts with the T7 loop. Statistical coupling analysis of more than 1,000 sequences from FtsZ orthologs reveals clear covariation of the T7 loop and the CT17 with most of the core domain, whereas the CTL is under independent selection. Despite this, we discover the conservation of nonrandom sequence patterns within CTLs across orthologs. To test how the nonrandom patterns of CTLs mediate CTT-core interactions and modulate FtsZ functionalities, we designed Bs-FtsZ variants by altering the patterning of oppositely charged residues within the CTL. Such alterations disrupt the core-CTT interactions, lead to anomalous assembly and inefficient GTP hydrolysis in vitro and protein degradation, aberrant assembly, and disruption of cell division in vivo. Our findings suggest that viable CTLs in FtsZs are likely to be IDRs that encompass nonrandom, functionally relevant sequence patterns that also preserve three-way covariation of the CT17, the T7 loop, and core domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Kyung Shinn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
- Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | - Megan C. Cohan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | - Jessie L. Bullock
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | - Kiersten M. Ruff
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
- Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | - Petra A. Levin
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | - Rohit V. Pappu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
- Center for Biomolecular Condensates, James McKelvey School of Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
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7
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Chai WC, Whittall JJ, Polyak SW, Foo K, Li X, Dutschke CJ, Ogunniyi AD, Ma S, Sykes MJ, Semple SJ, Venter H. Cinnamaldehyde derivatives act as antimicrobial agents against Acinetobacter baumannii through the inhibition of cell division. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:967949. [PMID: 36106080 PMCID: PMC9465178 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.967949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii is a pathogen with high intrinsic antimicrobial resistance while multidrug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) strains of this pathogen are emerging. Treatment options for infections by these strains are very limited, hence new therapies are urgently needed. The bacterial cell division protein, FtsZ, is a promising drug target for the development of novel antimicrobial agents. We have previously reported limited activity of cinnamaldehyde analogs against Escherichia coli. In this study, we have determined the antimicrobial activity of six cinnamaldehyde analogs for antimicrobial activity against A. baumannii. Microscopic analysis was performed to determine if the compounds inhibit cell division. The on-target effect of the compounds was assessed by analyzing their effect on polymerization and on the GTPase activity of purified FtsZ from A. baumannii. In silico docking was used to assess the binding of cinnamaldehyde analogs. Finally, in vivo and in vitro safety assays were performed. All six compounds displayed antibacterial activity against the critical priority pathogen A. baumannii, with 4-bromophenyl-substituted 4 displaying the most potent antimicrobial activity (MIC 32 μg/mL). Bioactivity was significantly increased in the presence of an efflux pump inhibitor for A. baumannii ATCC 19606 (up to 32-fold) and significantly, for extensively drug resistant UW 5075 (greater than 4-fold), suggesting that efflux contributes to the intrinsic resistance of A. baumannii against these agents. The compounds inhibited cell division in A. baumannii as observed by the elongated phenotype and targeted the FtsZ protein as seen from the inhibition of polymerization and GTPase activity. In silico docking predicted that the compounds bind in the interdomain cleft adjacent to the H7 core helix. Di-chlorinated 6 was devoid of hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity against mammalian cells in vitro, as well as adverse activity in a Caenorhabditis elegans nematode model in vivo. Together, these findings present halogenated analogs 4 and 6 as promising candidates for further development as antimicrobial agents aimed at combating A. baumannii. This is also the first report of FtsZ-targeting compounds with activity against an XDR A. baumannii strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wern Chern Chai
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Jonathan J. Whittall
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Steven W. Polyak
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Klyie Foo
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Cameron J. Dutschke
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Abiodun D. Ogunniyi
- Australian Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Ecology, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Shutao Ma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Matthew J. Sykes
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Susan J. Semple
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Henrietta Venter
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- *Correspondence: Henrietta Venter,
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8
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Viola MG, Perdikari TM, Trebino CE, Rahmani N, Mathews KL, Pena CM, Chua XY, Xuan B, LaBreck CJ, Fawzi NL, Camberg JL. An enhancer sequence in the intrinsically disordered region of FtsZ promotes polymer-guided substrate processing by ClpXP protease. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4306. [PMID: 35481648 PMCID: PMC8996474 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The essential bacterial division protein in Escherichia coli, FtsZ, assembles into the FtsZ-ring at midcell and recruits other proteins to the division site to promote septation. A region of the FtsZ amino acid sequence that links the conserved polymerization domain to a C-terminal protein interaction site was predicted to be intrinsically disordered and has been implicated in modulating spacing and architectural arrangements of FtsZ filaments. While the majority of cell division proteins that directly bind to FtsZ engage either the polymerization domain or the C-terminal interaction site, ClpX, the recognition and unfolding component of the bacterial ClpXP proteasome, has a secondary interaction with the predicted intrinsically disordered region (IDR) of FtsZ when FtsZ is polymerized. Here, we use NMR spectroscopy and reconstituted degradation reactions in vitro to demonstrate that this linker region is indeed disordered in solution and, further, that amino acids in the IDR of FtsZ enhance the degradation in polymer-guided interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa G. Viola
- Department of Cell and Molecular BiologyUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRhode IslandUSA
| | | | - Catherine E. Trebino
- Department of Cell and Molecular BiologyUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRhode IslandUSA
| | - Negar Rahmani
- Department of Cell and Molecular BiologyUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRhode IslandUSA
| | - Kaylee L. Mathews
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, & Biochemistry Graduate ProgramBrown UniversityProvidenceRhode IslandUSA
| | - Carolina Mejia Pena
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, & Biochemistry Graduate ProgramBrown UniversityProvidenceRhode IslandUSA
| | - Xien Yu Chua
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology & BiotechnologyBrown UniversityProvidenceRhode IslandUSA
| | - Botai Xuan
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology & BiotechnologyBrown UniversityProvidenceRhode IslandUSA
| | - Christopher J. LaBreck
- Department of Cell and Molecular BiologyUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRhode IslandUSA
| | - Nicolas L. Fawzi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Physiology & BiotechnologyBrown UniversityProvidenceRhode IslandUSA
| | - Jodi L. Camberg
- Department of Cell and Molecular BiologyUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRhode IslandUSA
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9
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Ruiz FM, Huecas S, Santos-Aledo A, Prim EA, Andreu JM, Fernández-Tornero C. FtsZ filament structures in different nucleotide states reveal the mechanism of assembly dynamics. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001497. [PMID: 35312677 PMCID: PMC8936486 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Treadmilling protein filaments perform essential cellular functions by growing from one end while shrinking from the other, driven by nucleotide hydrolysis. Bacterial cell division relies on the primitive tubulin homolog FtsZ, a target for antibiotic discovery that assembles into single treadmilling filaments that hydrolyse GTP at an active site formed upon subunit association. We determined high-resolution filament structures of FtsZ from the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus in complex with different nucleotide analogs and cations, including mimetics of the ground and transition states of catalysis. Together with mutational and biochemical analyses, our structures reveal interactions made by the GTP γ-phosphate and Mg2+ at the subunit interface, a K+ ion stabilizing loop T7 for co-catalysis, new roles of key residues at the active site and a nearby crosstalk area, and rearrangements of a dynamic water shell bridging adjacent subunits upon GTP hydrolysis. We propose a mechanistic model that integrates nucleotide hydrolysis signaling with assembly-associated conformational changes and filament treadmilling. Equivalent assembly mechanisms may apply to more complex tubulin and actin cytomotive filaments that share analogous features with FtsZ. Bacterial cell division critically relies on the tubulin homolog FtsZ, which assembles into filaments that treadmill, fuelled by GTP hydrolysis. This structural and biochemical study of FtsZ from Staphylocuccus aureus reveals the mechanism of GTP hydrolysis and its connection with filament dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico M. Ruiz
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Huecas
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Elena A. Prim
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - José M. Andreu
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail: (JMA); (CFT)
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10
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FtsZ treadmilling is essential for Z-ring condensation and septal constriction initiation in Bacillus subtilis cell division. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2448. [PMID: 33907196 PMCID: PMC8079713 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22526-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the central role of division in bacterial physiology, how division proteins work together as a nanoscale machine to divide the cell remains poorly understood. Cell division by cell wall synthesis proteins is guided by the cytoskeleton protein FtsZ, which assembles at mid-cell as a dense Z-ring formed of treadmilling filaments. However, although FtsZ treadmilling is essential for cell division, the function of FtsZ treadmilling remains unclear. Here, we systematically resolve the function of FtsZ treadmilling across each stage of division in the Gram-positive model organism Bacillus subtilis using a combination of nanofabrication, advanced microscopy, and microfluidics to measure the division-protein dynamics in live cells with ultrahigh sensitivity. We find that FtsZ treadmilling has two essential functions: mediating condensation of diffuse FtsZ filaments into a dense Z-ring, and initiating constriction by guiding septal cell wall synthesis. After constriction initiation, FtsZ treadmilling has a dispensable function in accelerating septal constriction rate. Our results show that FtsZ treadmilling is critical for assembling and initiating the bacterial cell division machine. Bacterial cell division by cell wall synthesis proteins is guided by treadmilling filaments of the cytoskeleton protein FtsZ. Here authors use nanofabrication, advanced microscopy, and microfluidics to resolve the function of FtsZ treadmilling in the Gram-positive model organism Bacillus subtilis.
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11
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Simulations of Proposed Mechanisms of FtsZ-Driven Cell Constriction. J Bacteriol 2021; 203:JB.00576-20. [PMID: 33199285 PMCID: PMC7811198 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00576-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
FtsZ is thought to generate constrictive force to divide the cell, possibly via one of two predominant models in the field. In one, FtsZ filaments overlap to form complete rings which constrict as filaments slide past each other to maximize lateral contact. To divide, bacteria must constrict their membranes against significant force from turgor pressure. A tubulin homolog, FtsZ, is thought to drive constriction, but how FtsZ filaments might generate constrictive force in the absence of motor proteins is not well understood. There are two predominant models in the field. In one, FtsZ filaments overlap to form complete rings around the circumference of the cell, and attractive forces cause filaments to slide past each other to maximize lateral contact. In the other, filaments exert force on the membrane by a GTP-hydrolysis-induced switch in conformation from straight to bent. Here, we developed software, ZCONSTRICT, for quantitative three-dimensional (3D) simulations of Gram-negative bacterial cell division to test these two models and identify critical conditions required for them to work. We find that the avidity of any kind of lateral interactions quickly halts the sliding of filaments, so a mechanism such as depolymerization or treadmilling is required to sustain constriction by filament sliding. For filament bending, we find that a mechanism such as the presence of a rigid linker is required to constrain bending to within the division plane and maintain the distance observed in vivo between the filaments and the membrane. Of these two models, only the filament bending model is consistent with our lab’s recent observation of constriction associated with a single, short FtsZ filament. IMPORTANCE FtsZ is thought to generate constrictive force to divide the cell, possibly via one of two predominant models in the field. In one, FtsZ filaments overlap to form complete rings which constrict as filaments slide past each other to maximize lateral contact. In the other, filaments exert force on the membrane by switching conformation from straight to bent. Here, we developed software, ZCONSTRICT, for three-dimensional (3D) simulations to test these two models. We find that a mechanism such as depolymerization or treadmilling are required to sustain constriction by filament sliding. For filament bending, we find that a mechanism that constrains bending to within the division plane is required to maintain the distance observed in vivo between the filaments and the membrane.
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12
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Chai WC, Whittall JJ, Song D, Polyak SW, Ogunniyi AD, Wang Y, Bi F, Ma S, Semple SJ, Venter H. Antimicrobial Action and Reversal of Resistance in MRSA by Difluorobenzamide Derivatives Targeted at FtsZ. Antibiotics (Basel) 2020; 9:E873. [PMID: 33291418 PMCID: PMC7762090 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics9120873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The bacterial cell division protein, FtsZ, has been identified as a target for antimicrobial development. Derivatives of 3-methoxybenzamide have shown promising activities as FtsZ inhibitors in Gram-positive bacteria. We sought to characterise the activity of five difluorobenzamide derivatives with non-heterocyclic substituents attached through the 3-oxygen. These compounds exhibited antimicrobial activity against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), with an isopentyloxy-substituted compound showing modest activity against vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE). The compounds were able to reverse resistance to oxacillin in highly resistant clinical MRSA strains at concentrations far below their MICs. Three of the compounds inhibited an Escherichia coli strain lacking the AcrAB components of a drug efflux pump, which suggests the lack of Gram-negative activity can partly be attributed to efflux. The compounds inhibited cell division by targeting S. aureus FtsZ, producing a dose-dependent increase in GTPase rate which increased the rate of FtsZ polymerization and stabilized the FtsZ polymers. These compounds did not affect the polymerization of mammalian tubulin and did not display haemolytic activity or cytotoxicity. These derivatives are therefore promising compounds for further development as antimicrobial agents or as resistance breakers to re-sensitive MRSA to beta-lactam antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wern Chern Chai
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, SA 5000 Adelaide, Australia; (W.C.C.); (J.J.W.); (S.W.P.); (S.J.S.)
| | - Jonathan J. Whittall
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, SA 5000 Adelaide, Australia; (W.C.C.); (J.J.W.); (S.W.P.); (S.J.S.)
| | - Di Song
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; (D.S.); (Y.W.); (F.B.); (S.M.)
| | - Steven W. Polyak
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, SA 5000 Adelaide, Australia; (W.C.C.); (J.J.W.); (S.W.P.); (S.J.S.)
| | - Abiodun D. Ogunniyi
- Australia Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Ecology, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy Campus, SA 5371 Roseworthy, Australia;
| | - Yinhu Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; (D.S.); (Y.W.); (F.B.); (S.M.)
- School of Pharmacy, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252000, China
| | - Fangchao Bi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; (D.S.); (Y.W.); (F.B.); (S.M.)
| | - Shutao Ma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China; (D.S.); (Y.W.); (F.B.); (S.M.)
| | - Susan J. Semple
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, SA 5000 Adelaide, Australia; (W.C.C.); (J.J.W.); (S.W.P.); (S.J.S.)
- Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, SA 5000 Adelaide, Australia
| | - Henrietta Venter
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, SA 5000 Adelaide, Australia; (W.C.C.); (J.J.W.); (S.W.P.); (S.J.S.)
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13
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Silber N, Matos de Opitz CL, Mayer C, Sass P. Cell division protein FtsZ: from structure and mechanism to antibiotic target. Future Microbiol 2020; 15:801-831. [DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2019-0348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance to virtually all clinically applied antibiotic classes severely limits the available options to treat bacterial infections. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop and evaluate new antibiotics and targets with resistance-breaking properties. Bacterial cell division has emerged as a new antibiotic target pathway to counteract multidrug-resistant pathogens. New approaches in antibiotic discovery and bacterial cell biology helped to identify compounds that either directly interact with the major cell division protein FtsZ, thereby perturbing the function and dynamics of the cell division machinery, or affect the structural integrity of FtsZ by inducing its degradation. The impressive antimicrobial activities and resistance-breaking properties of certain compounds validate the inhibition of bacterial cell division as a promising strategy for antibiotic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Silber
- Department of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology & Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Cruz L Matos de Opitz
- Department of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology & Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Christian Mayer
- Department of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology & Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Peter Sass
- Department of Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology & Infection Medicine, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, Tübingen 72076, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen 72076, Germany
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14
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Abstract
The FtsZ protein is a highly conserved bacterial tubulin homolog. In vivo, the functional form of FtsZ is the polymeric, ring-like structure (Z-ring) assembled at the future division site during cell division. While it is clear that the Z-ring plays an essential role in orchestrating cytokinesis, precisely what its functions are and how these functions are achieved remain elusive. In this article, we review what we have learned during the past decade about the Z-ring's structure, function, and dynamics, with a particular focus on insights generated by recent high-resolution imaging and single-molecule analyses. We suggest that the major function of the Z-ring is to govern nascent cell pole morphogenesis by directing the spatiotemporal distribution of septal cell wall remodeling enzymes through the Z-ring's GTP hydrolysis-dependent treadmilling dynamics. In this role, FtsZ functions in cell division as the counterpart of the cell shape-determining actin homolog MreB in cell elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan McQuillen
- Department of Biophysics & Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA; ,
| | - Jie Xiao
- Department of Biophysics & Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA; ,
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15
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Abstract
Bacterial cell division is initiated by the midcell assembly of polymers of the tubulin-like GTPase FtsZ. The FtsZ ring (Z-ring) is a discontinuous structure made of dynamic patches of FtsZ that undergo treadmilling motion. Roughly a dozen additional essential proteins are recruited to the division site by the dynamic Z-ring scaffold and subsequently activate cell wall synthesis to drive cell envelope constriction during division. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster, we summarize our understanding of the assembly and activation of the bacterial cell division machinery. We introduce polymerization properties of FtsZ and discuss our current knowledge of divisome assembly and activation. We further highlight the intimate relationship between the structure and dynamics of FtsZ and the movement and activity of cell wall synthases at the division site, before concluding with a perspective on the most important open questions on bacterial cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Mahone
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Erin D Goley
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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16
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Dissecting the Functional Contributions of the Intrinsically Disordered C-terminal Tail of Bacillus subtilis FtsZ. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:3205-3221. [PMID: 32198113 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
FtsZ is a bacterial GTPase that is central to the spatial and temporal control of cell division. It is a filament-forming enzyme that encompasses a well-folded core domain and a disordered C-terminal tail (CTT). The CTT is essential for ensuring proper assembly of the cytokinetic ring, and its deletion leads to mis-localization of FtsZ, aberrant assembly, and cell death. In this work, we dissect the contributions of modules within the disordered CTT to assembly and enzymatic activity of Bacillus subtilis FtsZ (Bs-FtsZ). The CTT features a hypervariable C-terminal linker (CTL) and a conserved C-terminal peptide (CTP). Our in vitro studies show that the CTL weakens the driving forces for forming single-stranded active polymers and suppresses lateral associations of these polymers, whereas the CTP promotes the formation of alternative assemblies. Accordingly, in full-length Bs-FtsZ, the CTL acts as a spacer that spatially separates the CTP sticker from the core, thus ensuring filament formation through core-driven polymerization and lateral associations through CTP-mediated interactions. We also find that the CTL weakens GTP binding while enhancing the catalytic rate, whereas the CTP has opposite effects. The joint contributions of the CTL and CTP make Bs-FtsZ, an enzyme that is only half as efficient as a truncated version that lacks the CTT. Overall, our data suggest that the CTT acts as an auto-regulator of Bs-FtsZ assembly and as an auto-inhibitor of enzymatic activity. Based on our results, we propose hypotheses regarding the hypervariability of CTLs and compare FtsZs to other bacterial proteins with tethered IDRs.
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17
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Barrows JM, Sundararajan K, Bhargava A, Goley ED. FtsA Regulates Z-Ring Morphology and Cell Wall Metabolism in an FtsZ C-Terminal Linker-Dependent Manner in Caulobacter crescentus. J Bacteriol 2020; 202:e00693-19. [PMID: 31932314 PMCID: PMC7167480 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00693-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial cell division requires the assembly of a multiprotein division machinery, or divisome, that remodels the cell envelope to cause constriction. The cytoskeletal protein FtsZ forms a ringlike scaffold for the divisome at the incipient division site. FtsZ has three major regions: a conserved GTPase domain that polymerizes into protofilaments on binding GTP, a C-terminal conserved peptide (CTC) required for binding membrane-anchoring proteins, and a C-terminal linker (CTL) region of varied length and low sequence conservation. Recently, we demonstrated that the CTL regulates FtsZ polymerization properties in vitro and Z-ring structure and cell wall metabolism in vivo In Caulobacter crescentus, an FtsZ variant lacking the CTL (designated ΔCTL) can recruit all known divisome members and drive local cell wall synthesis but has dominant lethal effects on cell wall metabolism. To understand the underlying mechanism of the CTL-dependent regulation of cell wall metabolism, we expressed chimeras of FtsZ domains from C. crescentus and Escherichia coli and observed that the E. coli GTPase domain fused to the C. crescentus CTC phenocopies C. crescentus ΔCTL. By investigating the contributions of FtsZ-binding partners, we identified variants of FtsA, a known membrane anchor for FtsZ, that delay or exacerbate the ΔCTL phenotype. Additionally, we observed that the ΔCTL protein forms extended helical structures in vivo upon FtsA overproduction. We propose that misregulation downstream of defective ΔCTL assembly is propagated through the interaction between the CTC and FtsA. Overall, our study provides mechanistic insights into the CTL-dependent regulation of cell wall enzymes downstream of FtsZ polymerization.IMPORTANCE Bacterial cell division is essential and requires the recruitment and regulation of a complex network of proteins needed to initiate and guide constriction and cytokinesis. FtsZ serves as a master regulator for this process, and its function is highly dependent on both its assembly into the canonical Z ring and interactions with protein binding partners, all of which results in the activation of enzymes that remodel the cell wall to drive constriction. Using mutants of FtsZ, we have elaborated on the role of its C-terminal linker domain in regulating Z-ring stability and dynamics, as well as the requirement for its conserved C-terminal domain and interaction with the membrane-anchoring protein FtsA for regulating the process of cell wall remodeling for constriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan M Barrows
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kousik Sundararajan
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Anant Bhargava
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Erin D Goley
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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18
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Huecas S, Canosa-Valls AJ, Araújo-Bazán L, Ruiz FM, Laurents DV, Fernández-Tornero C, Andreu JM. Nucleotide-induced folding of cell division protein FtsZ from Staphylococcus aureus. FEBS J 2020; 287:4048-4067. [PMID: 31997533 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The essential bacterial division protein FtsZ uses GTP binding and hydrolysis to assemble into dynamic filaments that treadmill around the Z-ring, guiding septal wall synthesis and cell division. FtsZ is a structural homolog of tubulin and a target for discovering new antibiotics. Here, using FtsZ from the pathogen S. aureus (SaFtsZ), we reveal that, prior to assembly, FtsZ monomers require nucleotide binding for folding; this is possibly relevant to other mesophilic FtsZs. Apo-SaFtsZ is essentially unfolded, as assessed by nuclear magnetic resonance and circular dichroism. Binding of GTP (≥ 1 mm) dramatically shifts the equilibrium toward the active folded protein. Supportingly, SaFtsZ refolded with GDP crystallizes in a native structure. Apo-SaFtsZ also folds with 3.4 m glycerol, enabling high-affinity GTP binding (KD 20 nm determined by isothermal titration calorimetry) similar to thermophilic stable FtsZ. Other stabilizing agents that enhance nucleotide binding include ethylene glycol, trimethylamine N-oxide, and several bacterial osmolytes. High salt stabilizes SaFtsZ without bound nucleotide in an inactive twisted conformation. We identified a cavity behind the SaFtsZ-GDP nucleotide-binding pocket that harbors different small compounds, which is available for extended nucleotide-replacing inhibitors. Furthermore, we devised a competition assay to detect any inhibitors that overlap the nucleotide site of SaFtsZ, or Escherichia coli FtsZ, employing osmolyte-stabilized apo-FtsZs and the specific fluorescence anisotropy change in mant-GTP upon dissociation from the protein. This robust assay provides a basis to screening for high-affinity GTP-replacing ligands, which combined with structural studies and phenotypic profiling should facilitate development of a next generation of FtsZ-targeting antibacterial inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Huecas
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Lidia Araújo-Bazán
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Federico M Ruiz
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - José M Andreu
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas CSIC, Madrid, Spain
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19
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Wang N, Bian L, Ma X, Meng Y, Chen CS, Rahman MU, Zhang T, Li Z, Wang P, Chen Y. Assembly properties of the bacterial tubulin homolog FtsZ from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:16309-16319. [PMID: 31519752 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.009621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The tubulin homolog FtsZ is the major cytoskeletal protein in the bacterial cell division machinery, conserved in almost all bacteria, archaea, and chloroplasts. Bacterial FtsZ assembles spontaneously into single protofilaments, sheets, and bundles in vitro, and it also accumulates at the site of division early during cell division, where it forms a dynamic protein complex, the contractile ring or Z-ring. The biochemical properties of FtsZ proteins from many bacteria have been studied, but comparable insights into FtsZs from cyanobacteria are limited. Here, using EM and light-scattering assays, we studied the biochemical and assembly properties of SyFtsZ, the FtsZ protein from the cyanobacterial strain Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. SyFtsZ had a slow GTPase activity of ∼0.4 GTP/FtsZ molecule/min and assembled into thick, straight protofilament bundles and curved bundles, designated toroids. The assembly of SyFtsZ in the presence of GTP occurred in two stages. The first stage consisted of the assembly of single-stranded straight protofilaments and opened circles; in the second stage, the protofilaments associated into straight protofilament bundles and toroids. In addition to these assemblies, we also observed highly curved oligomers and minirings after GTP hydrolysis or in the presence of excess GDP. The three types of protofilaments of SyFtsZ observed here provide support for the hypothesis that a constriction force due to curved protofilaments bends the membrane. In summary, our findings indicate that, unlike other bacterial FtsZ, SyFtsZ assembles into thick protofilament bundles. This bundling is similar to that of chloroplast FtsZ, consistent with its origin in cyanobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Wang
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Li Bian
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Xueqin Ma
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Yufeng Meng
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Cyndi S Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Mujeeb Ur Rahman
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Zhe Li
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710
| | - Yaodong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Resources Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
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20
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Yoshida Y, Mogi Y. How do plastids and mitochondria divide? Microscopy (Oxf) 2019; 68:45-56. [PMID: 30476140 DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfy132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Plastids and mitochondria are thought to have originated from free-living cyanobacterial and alpha-proteobacterial ancestors, respectively, via endosymbiosis. Their evolutionary origins dictate that these organelles do not multiply de novo but through the division of pre-existing plastids and mitochondria. Over the past three decades, studies have shown that plastid and mitochondrial division are performed by contractile ring-shaped structures, broadly termed the plastid and mitochondrial-division machineries. Interestingly, the division machineries are hybrid forms of the bacterial cell division system and eukaryotic membrane fission system. The structure and function of the plastid and mitochondrial-division machineries are similar to each other, implying that the division machineries evolved in parallel since their establishment in primitive eukaryotes. Compared with our knowledge of their structures, our understanding of the mechanical details of how these division machineries function is still quite limited. Here, we review and compare the structural frameworks of the plastid and mitochondrial-division machineries in both lower and higher eukaryotes. Then, we highlight fundamental issues that need to be resolved to reveal the underlying mechanisms of plastid and mitochondrial division. Finally, we highlight related studies that point to an exciting future for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamato Yoshida
- Department of Science, College of Science, Ibaraki University, 2-1-1 Bunkyo, Mito, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yuko Mogi
- Department of Science, College of Science, Ibaraki University, 2-1-1 Bunkyo, Mito, Ibaraki, Japan
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21
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Wang M, Fang C, Ma B, Luo X, Hou Z. Regulation of cytokinesis: FtsZ and its accessory proteins. Curr Genet 2019; 66:43-49. [PMID: 31209564 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-019-01005-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial cell division is a highly controlled process regulated accurately by a diverse array of proteins spatially and temporally working together. Among these proteins, FtsZ is recognized as a cytoskeleton protein because it can assemble into a ring-like structure called Z-ring at midcell. Z-ring recruits downstream proteins, thus forming a multiprotein complex termed the divisome. When the Z-ring scaffold is established and the divisome matures, peptidoglycan (PG) biosynthesis and chromosome segregation are triggered. In this review, we focus on multiple interactions between FtsZ and its accessory proteins in bacterial cell cytokinesis, including FtsZ localization, Z-ring formation and stabilization, PG biosynthesis, and chromosome segregation. Understanding the interactions among these proteins may help discover superior targets on treating bacterial infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhi Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chao Fang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Bo Ma
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoxing Luo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zheng Hou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
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22
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At the Heart of Bacterial Cytokinesis: The Z Ring. Trends Microbiol 2019; 27:781-791. [PMID: 31171437 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial cell division is mediated by the divisome which is organized by the Z ring, a cytoskeletal element formed by the polymerization of the tubulin homologue FtsZ. Despite billions of years of bacterial evolution, the Z ring is nearly universal among bacteria that have a cell wall and divide by binary fission. Recent studies have revealed the mechanism of cooperative assembly of FtsZ and that the Z ring consists of patches of FtsZ filaments tethered to the membrane that treadmill to distribute the septal biosynthetic machinery. Here, we summarize these advances and discuss questions raised by these new findings.
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23
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Surface Orientation and Binding Strength Modulate Shape of FtsZ on Lipid Surfaces. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20102545. [PMID: 31137602 PMCID: PMC6566678 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20102545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
We have used a simple model system to test the prediction that surface attachment strength of filaments presenting a torsion would affect their shape and properties. FtsZ from E. coli containing one cysteine in position 2 was covalently attached to a lipid bilayer containing maleimide lipids either in their head group (to simulate tight attachment) or at the end of a polyethylene glycol molecule attached to the head group (to simulate loose binding). We found that filaments tightly attached grew straight, growing from both ends, until they formed a two-dimensional lattice. Further monomer additions to their sides generated a dense layer of oriented filaments that fully covered the lipid membrane. After this point the surface became unstable and the bilayer detached from the surface. Filaments with a loose binding were initially curved and later evolved into straight thicker bundles that destabilized the membrane after reaching a certain surface density. Previously described theoretical models of FtsZ filament assembly on surfaces that include lateral interactions, spontaneous curvature, torsion, anchoring to the membrane, relative geometry of the surface and the filament ‘living-polymer’ condition in the presence of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) can offer some clues about the driving forces inducing these filament rearrangements.
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24
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Araújo‐Bazán L, Huecas S, Valle J, Andreu D, Andreu JM. Synthetic developmental regulator MciZ targets FtsZ across
Bacillus
species and inhibits bacterial division. Mol Microbiol 2019; 111:965-980. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sonia Huecas
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas CSIC Madrid Spain
| | - Javier Valle
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona Spain
| | - David Andreu
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona Spain
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Sundararajan K, Vecchiarelli A, Mizuuchi K, Goley ED. Species- and C-terminal linker-dependent variations in the dynamic behavior of FtsZ on membranes in vitro. Mol Microbiol 2018; 110:47-63. [PMID: 30010220 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial cell division requires the assembly of FtsZ protofilaments into a dynamic structure called the 'Z-ring'. The Z-ring recruits the division machinery and directs local cell wall remodeling for constriction. The organization and dynamics of protofilaments within the Z-ring coordinate local cell wall synthesis during cell constriction, but their regulation is largely unknown. The disordered C-terminal linker (CTL) region of Caulobacter crescentus FtsZ (CcFtsZ) regulates polymer structure and turnover in solution in vitro, and regulates Z-ring structure and activity of cell wall enzymes in vivo. To investigate the contributions of the CTL to the polymerization properties of FtsZ on its physiological platform, the cell membrane, we reconstituted CcFtsZ polymerization on supported lipid bilayers (SLB) and visualized polymer dynamics and structure using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. Unlike Escherichia coli FtsZ protofilaments that organized into large, bundled patterns, CcFtsZ protofilaments assembled into small, dynamic clusters on SLBs. Moreover, CcFtsZ lacking its CTL formed large networks of straight filament bundles that underwent slower turnover than the dynamic clusters of wildtype FtsZ. Our in vitro characterization provides novel insights into species- and CTL-dependent differences between FtsZ assembly properties that are relevant to Z-ring assembly and function on membranes in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kousik Sundararajan
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Anthony Vecchiarelli
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan College of Literature Science and the Arts, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Kiyoshi Mizuuchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Erin D Goley
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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Dik DA, Fisher JF, Mobashery S. Cell-Wall Recycling of the Gram-Negative Bacteria and the Nexus to Antibiotic Resistance. Chem Rev 2018; 118:5952-5984. [PMID: 29847102 PMCID: PMC6855303 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The importance of the cell wall to the viability of the bacterium is underscored by the breadth of antibiotic structures that act by blocking key enzymes that are tasked with cell-wall creation, preservation, and regulation. The interplay between cell-wall integrity, and the summoning forth of resistance mechanisms to deactivate cell-wall-targeting antibiotics, involves exquisite orchestration among cell-wall synthesis and remodeling and the detection of and response to the antibiotics through modulation of gene regulation by specific effectors. Given the profound importance of antibiotics to the practice of medicine, the assertion that understanding this interplay is among the most fundamentally important questions in bacterial physiology is credible. The enigmatic regulation of the expression of the AmpC β-lactamase, a clinically significant and highly regulated resistance response of certain Gram-negative bacteria to the β-lactam antibiotics, is the exemplar of this challenge. This review gives a current perspective to this compelling, and still not fully solved, 35-year enigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A. Dik
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, McCourtney Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Jed F. Fisher
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, McCourtney Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Shahriar Mobashery
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, McCourtney Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
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Krupka M, Margolin W. Unite to divide: Oligomerization of tubulin and actin homologs regulates initiation of bacterial cell division. F1000Res 2018; 7:235. [PMID: 29560258 PMCID: PMC5832921 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.13504.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
To generate two cells from one, bacteria such as
Escherichia coli use a complex of membrane-embedded proteins called the divisome that synthesize the division septum. The initial stage of cytokinesis requires a tubulin homolog, FtsZ, which forms polymers that treadmill around the cell circumference. The attachment of these polymers to the cytoplasmic membrane requires an actin homolog, FtsA, which also forms dynamic polymers that directly bind to FtsZ. Recent evidence indicates that FtsA and FtsZ regulate each other’s oligomeric state in
E. coli to control the progression of cytokinesis, including the recruitment of septum synthesis proteins. In this review, we focus on recent advances in our understanding of protein-protein association between FtsZ and FtsA in the initial stages of divisome function, mainly in the well-characterized
E. coli system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Krupka
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, Houston, USA
| | - William Margolin
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, McGovern Medical School, Houston, USA
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