Characterization of the Mycoplasma hominis ftsZ gene and its sequence variability in mycoplasma clinical isolates

FtsZ from divergent foreign bacteria can function for cell division in Escherichia coli

FtsZs from Mycoplasma pulmonis (MpuFtsZ) and Bacillus subtilis (BsFtsZ) are only 46% and 53% identical in amino acid sequence to FtsZ from Escherichia coli (EcFtsZ). In the present study we show that MpuFtsZ and BsFtsZ can function for cell division in E. coli provided we make two modifications. First, we replaced their C-terminal tails with that from E. coli, giving the foreign FtsZ the binding site for E. coli FtsA and ZipA. Second, we selected for mutations in the E. coli genome that facilitated division by the foreign FtsZs. These suppressor strains arose at a relatively high frequency of 10(-3) to 10(-5), suggesting that they involve loss-of-function mutations in multigene pathways. These pathways may be negative regulators of FtsZ or structural pathways that facilitate division by slightly defective FtsZ. Related suppressor strains were obtained for EcFtsZ containing certain point mutations or insertions of yellow fluorescent protein. The ability of highly divergent FtsZs to function for division in E. coli is consistent with a two-part mechanism. FtsZ assembles the Z ring, and perhaps generates the constriction force, through self interactions; the downstream division proteins remodel the peptidoglycan wall by interacting with each other and the wall. The C-terminal peptide of FtsZ, which binds FtsA, provides the link between FtsZ assembly and peptidoglycan remodeling.

Borrelia burgdorferi ftsZ plays a role in cell division

ftsZ is essential for cell division in many microorganisms. In Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, FtsZ plays a role in ring formation at the leading edge of the cell division septum. An ftsZ homologue is present in the Borrelia burgdorferi genome (ftsZ(Bbu)). Its gene product (FtsZ(Bbu)) is strongly homologous to other bacterial FtsZ proteins, but its function has not been established. Because loss-of-function mutants of ftsZ(Bbu) might be lethal, the tetR/tetO system was adapted for regulated control of this gene in B. burgdorferi. Sixty-two nucleotides of an ftsZ(Bbu) antisense DNA sequence under the control of a tetracycline-responsive modified hybrid borrelial promoter were cloned into pKFSS1. This construct was electroporated into a B. burgdorferi host strain carrying a chromosomally located tetR under the control of the B. burgdorferi flaB promoter. After induction by anhydrotetracycline, expression of antisense ftsZ RNA resulted in generation of filamentous B. burgdorferi that were unable to divide and grew more slowly than uninduced cells. To determine whether FtsZ(Bbu) could interfere with the function of E. coli FtsZ, ftsZ(Bbu) was amplified from chromosomal DNA and placed under the control of the tetracycline-regulated hybrid promoter. After introduction of the construct into E. coli and induction with anhydrotetracycline, overexpression of ftsZ(Bbu) generated a filamentous phenotype. This suggested interference of ftsZ(Bbu) with E. coli FtsZ function and confirmed the role of ftsZ(Bbu) in cell division. This is the first report of the generation of a B. burgdorferi conditional lethal mutant equivalent by tetracycline-controlled expression of antisense RNA.

Cell division gene cluster in Spiroplasma kunkelii: functional characterization of ftsZ and the first report of ftsA in mollicutes

Spiroplasma kunkelii is a helical, wall-less bacterium that causes corn stunt disease. In adaptation to its phloem-inhabiting parasitic lifestyle, the bacterium has undergone a reductive evolutionary process and, as a result, possesses a compact genome with a gene set approaching the minimal complement necessary for multiplication and pathogenesis. We cloned a much-reduced cell division gene cluster from S. kunkelii and functionally characterized the key division gene, ftsZ(sk). The 1236-bp open reading frame of ftsZ(sk) is capable of encoding a protein with a calculated molecular mass of 44.1 kDa. Protein sequence alignment revealed that FtsZ(sk) is remarkably similar to FtsZ proteins from other eubacteria, and possesses the conserved GTP-binding and hydrolyzing motifs. We demonstrated that overexpression of ftsZ(sk) in Escherichia coli causes transgression of the host cell division, resulting in a filamentous phenotype. We also report, for the first time, the presence of a ftsA gene in the cell division cluster of a mollicute species.