TY - JOUR
T1 - Regular cellular distribution of plasmids by oscillating and filament-forming ParA ATPase of plasmid pB171
AU - Ebersbach, Gitte
AU - Ringgaard, Simon
AU - Moller-Jensen, Jakob
AU - Wang, Qing
AU - Sherratt, David J.
AU - Gerdes, Kenn
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - Centromere-like loci from bacteria segregate plasmids to progeny cells before cell division. The ParA ATPase (a MinD homologue) of the par2 locus from plasmid pB171 forms oscillating helical structures over the nucleoid. Here we show that par2 distributes plasmid foci regularly along the length of the cell even in cells with many plasmids. In vitro, ParA binds ATP and ADP and has a cooperative ATPase activity. Moreover, ParA forms ATP-dependent filaments and cables, suggesting that ParA can provide the mechanical force for the observed regular distribution of plasmids. ParA and ParB interact with each other in a bacterial two-hybrid assay but do not interact with FtsZ, eight other essential cell division proteins or MreB actin. Based on these observations, we propose a simple model for how oscillating ParA filaments can mediate regular cellular distribution of plasmids. The model functions without the involvement of partition-specific host cell receptors and is thus consistent with the striking observation that partition loci can function in heterologous host organisms.
AB - Centromere-like loci from bacteria segregate plasmids to progeny cells before cell division. The ParA ATPase (a MinD homologue) of the par2 locus from plasmid pB171 forms oscillating helical structures over the nucleoid. Here we show that par2 distributes plasmid foci regularly along the length of the cell even in cells with many plasmids. In vitro, ParA binds ATP and ADP and has a cooperative ATPase activity. Moreover, ParA forms ATP-dependent filaments and cables, suggesting that ParA can provide the mechanical force for the observed regular distribution of plasmids. ParA and ParB interact with each other in a bacterial two-hybrid assay but do not interact with FtsZ, eight other essential cell division proteins or MreB actin. Based on these observations, we propose a simple model for how oscillating ParA filaments can mediate regular cellular distribution of plasmids. The model functions without the involvement of partition-specific host cell receptors and is thus consistent with the striking observation that partition loci can function in heterologous host organisms.
U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2006.05322.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2006.05322.x
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 16899080
SN - 0950-382X
VL - 61
SP - 1428
EP - 1442
JO - Molecular Microbiology
JF - Molecular Microbiology
IS - 6
ER -