Compaction of the Escherichia coli nucleoid caused by Cyt1Aa

Microbiology ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 149 (12) ◽  
pp. 3553-3564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Manasherob ◽  
Arieh Zaritsky ◽  
Yifah Metzler ◽  
Eitan Ben-Dov ◽  
Mark Itsko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Dna Replication ◽  
Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽  
Cell Volume ◽  
Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽  
Whole Cell ◽  
Clear Separation ◽  
Immunofluorescence Labelling

Compaction of the Escherichia coli nucleoid in the cell's centre was associated with the loss of colony-forming ability; these effects were caused by induction of Cyt1Aa, the cytotoxic 27 kDa protein from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. Cyt1Aa-affected compaction of the nucleoids was delayed but eventually more intense than compaction caused by chloramphenicol. The possibility that small, compact nucleoids in Cyt1Aa-expressing cells resulted in DNA replication run-out and segregation following cell division was ruled out by measuring relative nucleoid length. Treatments with membrane-perforating substances other than Cyt1Aa did not cause such compaction of the nucleoids, but rather the nucleoids overexpanded to occupy nearly all of the cell volume. These findings support the suggestion that, in addition to its perforating ability, Cyt1Aa causes specific disruption of nucleoid associations with the cytoplasmic membrane. In situ immunofluorescence labelling with Alexa did not demonstrate a great amount of Cyt1Aa associated with the membrane. Clear separation between Alexa-labelled Cyt1Aa and 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-stained DNA indicates that the nucleoid does not bind Cyt1Aa. Around 2 h after induction, nucleoids in Cyt1Aa-expressing cells started to decompact and expanded to fill the whole cell volume, most likely due to partial cell lysis without massive peptidoglycan destruction.

scholarly journals Timing of FtsZ Assembly in Escherichia coli

1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (17) ◽  
pp. 5167-5175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanneke Den Blaauwen ◽  
Nienke Buddelmeijer ◽  
Mirjam E. G. Aarsman ◽  
Cor M. Hameete ◽  
Nanne Nanninga
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Dna Replication ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Ftsz Ring ◽  
Contrast Microscopy ◽  
Z Ring ◽  
Ftsz Assembly ◽  
K 12

ABSTRACT The timing of the appearance of the FtsZ ring at the future site of division in Escherichia coli was determined by in situ immunofluorescence microscopy for two strains grown under steady-state conditions. The strains, B/rA and K-12 MC4100, differ largely in the duration of the D period, the time between termination of DNA replication and cell division. In both strains and under various growth conditions, the assembly of the FtsZ ring was initiated approximately simultaneously with the start of the D period. This is well before nucleoid separation or initiation of constriction as determined by fluorescence and phase-contrast microscopy. The durations of the Z-ring period, the D period, and the period with a visible constriction seem to be correlated under all investigated growth conditions in these strains. These results suggest that (near) termination of DNA replication could provide a signal that initiates the process of cell division.

scholarly journals Toxin Kid uncouples DNA replication and cell division to enforce retention of plasmid R1 in Escherichia coli cells

2014 ◽  
Vol 111 (7) ◽  
pp. 2734-2739 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Pimentel ◽  
R. Nair ◽  
C. Bermejo-Rodriguez ◽  
M. A. Preston ◽  
C. A. Agu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Dna Replication ◽  
Plasmid R1 ◽  
Escherichia Coli Cells

scholarly journals Contribution of the FtsQ Transmembrane Segment to Localization to the Cell Division Site

2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (20) ◽  
pp. 7273-7280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk-Jan Scheffers ◽  
Carine Robichon ◽  
Gert Jan Haan ◽  
Tanneke den Blaauwen ◽  
Gregory Koningstein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽  
Central Component ◽  
Transmembrane Segment ◽  
Division Site ◽  
Periplasmic Domain ◽  
Cell Division Protein

ABSTRACT The Escherichia coli cell division protein FtsQ is a central component of the divisome. FtsQ is a bitopic membrane protein with a large C-terminal periplasmic domain. In this work we investigated the role of the transmembrane segment (TMS) that anchors FtsQ in the cytoplasmic membrane. A set of TMS mutants was made and analyzed for the ability to complement an ftsQ mutant. Study of the various steps involved in FtsQ biogenesis revealed that one mutant (L29/32R;V38P) failed to functionally insert into the membrane, whereas another mutant (L29/32R) was correctly assembled and interacted with FtsB and FtsL but failed to localize efficiently to the cell division site. Our results indicate that the FtsQ TMS plays a role in FtsQ localization to the division site.

FtsL, an Essential Cytoplasmic Membrane Protein Involved in Cell Division in Escherichia coli

1992 ◽  
Vol 174 (23) ◽  
pp. 7717-7728 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luz-Maria Guzman ◽  
James J. Barondess ◽  
Jon Beckwith
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽  
Topological Analysis ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Bacterial Cell Division ◽  
Leucine Zippers ◽  
Protein Dimerization ◽  
Membrane Spanning

We have identified a gene involved in bacterial cell division, located immediately upstream of the ftsI gene in the min 2 region of the Escherichia coli chromosome. This gene, which we named ftsL , was detected through characterization of Tn phoA insertions in a plasmid containing this chromosomal region. Tn phoA topological analysis and fractionation of alkaline phosphatase fusion proteins indicated that the ftsL gene product is a 13.6-kDa cytoplasmic membrane protein with a cytoplasmic amino terminus, a single membrane-spanning segment, and a periplasmic carboxy terminus. The ftsL gene is essential for cell growth and division. A null mutation in ftsL resulted in inhibition of cell division, formation of long, nonseptate filaments, ultimate cessation of growth, and lysis. Under certain growth conditions, depletion of FtsL or expression of the largest ftsL-phoA fusion produced a variety of cell morphologies, including Y-shaped bacteria, indicating a possible general weakening of the cell wall. The FtsL protein is estimated to be present at about 20 to 40 copies per cell. The periplasmic domain of the protein displays a sequence with features characteristic of leucine zippers, which are involved in protein dimerization.

scholarly journals FtsL, an Essential Cytoplasmic Membrane Protein Involved in Cell Division in Escherichia coli

1992 ◽  
Vol 174 (23) ◽  
pp. 7717-7728 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luz-Maria Guzman ◽  
James J. Barondess ◽  
Jon Beckwith
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Cytoplasmic Membrane

scholarly journals Coordination between Chromosome Replication, Segregation, and Cell Division in Caulobacter crescentus

2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (6) ◽  
pp. 2244-2253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasmus B. Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Dna Replication ◽  
Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽  
Caulobacter Crescentus ◽  
Chromosome Replication ◽  
Short Delay ◽  
Swarmer Cell ◽  
Initiation Of Dna Replication ◽  
Cell Transition

ABSTRACT Progression through the Caulobacter crescentus cell cycle is coupled to a cellular differentiation program. The swarmer cell is replicationally quiescent, and DNA replication initiates at the swarmer-to-stalked cell transition. There is a very short delay between initiation of DNA replication and movement of one of the newly replicated origins to the opposite pole of the cell, indicating the absence of cohesion between the newly replicated origin-proximal parts of the Caulobacter chromosome. The terminus region of the chromosome becomes located at the invaginating septum in predivisional cells, and the completely replicated terminus regions stay associated with each other after chromosome replication is completed, disassociating very late in the cell cycle shortly before the final cell division event. Invagination of the cytoplasmic membrane occurs earlier than separation of the replicated terminus regions and formation of separate nucleoids, which results in trapping of a chromosome on either side of the cell division septum, indicating that there is not a nucleoid exclusion phenotype.

scholarly journals Suppression of a Thermosensitive zipA Cell Division Mutant by Altering Amino Acid Metabolism

2017 ◽  
Vol 200 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel E. Vega ◽  
William Margolin
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Amino Acid Metabolism ◽  
Acid Metabolism ◽  
Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽  
Amino Acid Biosynthesis ◽  
Acid Biosynthesis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cell Division Protein

ABSTRACTZipA is essential for cell division inEscherichia coli, acting early in the process to anchor polymers of FtsZ to the cytoplasmic membrane. Along with FtsA, FtsZ and ZipA form a proto-ring at midcell that recruits additional proteins to eventually build the division septum. Cells carrying the thermosensitivezipA1allele divide fairly normally at 30°C in rich medium but cease dividing at temperatures above 34°C, forming long filaments. In a search for suppressors of thezipA1allele, we found that deletions of specific genes involved in amino acid biosynthesis could partially rescue cell growth and division at 34°C or 37°C but not at 42°C. Notably, although a diverse group of amino acid biosynthesis gene deletions could partially rescue the growth ofzipA1cells at 34°C, only deletions of genes related to the biosynthesis of threonine, glycine, serine, and methionine could rescue growth at 37°C. Adding exogenous pyridoxal 5-phosphate (PLP), a cofactor for many of the enzymes affected by this study, partially suppressedzipA1mutant thermosensitivity. For many of the deletions, PLP had an additive rescuing effect on thezipA1mutant. Moreover, added PLP partially suppressed the thermosensitivity offtsQandftsKmutants and weakly suppressed anftsImutant, but it failed to suppressftsAorftsZthermosensitive mutants. Along with the ability of a deletion ofmetCto partially suppress theftsKmutant, our results suggest that perturbations of amino acid metabolic pathways, particularly those that redirect the flow of carbon away from the synthesis of threonine, glycine, or methionine, are able to partially rescue some cell division defects.IMPORTANCECell division of bacteria, such asEscherichia coli, is essential for their successful colonization. It is becoming increasingly clear that nutritional status and central metabolism can affect bacterial size and shape; for example, a metabolic enzyme (OpgH) can moonlight as a regulator of FtsZ, an essential cell division protein. Here, we demonstrate a link between amino acid metabolism and ZipA, another essential cell division protein that binds directly to FtsZ and tethers it to the cytoplasmic membrane. Our evidence suggests that altering flux through the methionine-threonine-glycine-serine pathways and supplementing with the enzyme cofactor pyridoxal-5-phosphate can partially compensate for an otherwise lethal defect in ZipA, as well as several other cell division proteins.

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